This master's thesis deals with the field of sculpture, more precisely with ceramics, as a part of the subject of fine arts in Slovenian primary schools. The curriculum (UN za likovno vzgojo, 2011) for subject in primary education in which are included pupils from year 5 or 6 – 14 or 15, divides the subject of fine arts into two areas – two-dimensional art forms (painting, drawing, graphics, graphic design) and three-dimensional design (sculpture, architecture). This master's thesis focuses on the field of sculpture.
Clay is one of the most frequently used sculptural materials in the first years of primary school education, as the projects are most easily produced with soft sculpture materials. In the upper grades students also encounter other, more complex ways of shaping and processing clay, including making of ceramics. The curriculum for fine arts in Slovenian primary schools (UN za likovno vzgojo, 2011) envisages the making of ceramics in both 5th and 7th grade of primary school education, but the actual implementation of teaching contents related to ceramics depends on the teacher, as well as the conditions in primary schools.
Design, firing and decorating techniques require both general and specific knowledge, which the art teacher acquires through education and/or his own research. In addition to knowledge of procedures in the field of ceramics design, material conditions such as tools, materials and spatial adjustments have to be met; these conditions represent a large financial burden and can vary greatly from school to school.
The research, presented in the second part of thesis, was conducted among the fine arts teachers in Slovenian primary schools, with the intention of finding out what is the practice of including ceramics and clay design into the class of fine arts. Furthermore, I was interested in the general spatial conditions in Slovenian schools; which conditions hinder, limit, or encourage teachers to implement teaching content in the field of clay and ceramics design.
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