With a ceramics legend, having taught the class for generations, it was assumed that a change in teaching style, grading, and way of thinking would take some adjustment. This was not the case for Sydney Goldman, ceramics teacher. 

“I’m impressed with the way that everyone has headfirst dove into the water and been able to swim with me here, which is awesome… I expected to have to convince everyone coming in as a new person, taking over for somebody who has been here a really long time, that I was not crazy, but they have been able to rally with me,” Goldman said.

Mackenzie Ingle, 11, has been welcoming of all of the changes brought by Goldman. 

“Miss Goldman is a lot more hands on and thorough in her teaching. She explains and shows us how to do the projects and different techniques…[Goldman also] has a very different grading style and scale than [Brad] Reinking did. She mainly grades on how much effort we put into the piece… she just wants us to be creative, original, and involved,” Ingle said.

The new grading rubric that Goldman put in place aims to uplift and encourage students. Grading isn’t the only thing Goldman is changing with the course. Addelyn Horne, 11, is appreciative of the updated teaching style. 

“Reinking taught people how to do something once. It was pretty plain and simple which works for some people. Goldman breaks things down step by step; that works a lot better for me,” Horne said. 

The new aspects of grading and teaching have already made a difference in the class.  

“So far [it’s going] really well. From where my expectations were coming in and where we are now, we have way surpassed [them]. I’m really impressed with the things that have been put [on the shelf] and things that have been made. I think that there’s a lot of creativity that has been going on…I’d love to see even more of what my students are capable of,” Goldman said.