Take Wheel 1. Then Take It Again.
So, you’ve already taken a Wheel 1 class, and that means you should already be an expert, right? Wrong! Most people think re-taking a class means they’ve failed, or that they’re not good at it—this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Everyone needs time to practice new skills, especially if it’s something you’re trying for the first time. Here are a few reasons why our expert team of teachers and repeat Wheel 1 students think it’s beneficial to take the class more than once.
You will learn different things the second time.
Like rereading a book at different times in your life, you will notice different things because you will have changed! Every time you take wheel 1, you will learn new things that you weren't ready to hear the last time. Or maybe hear things differently, now that you understand throwing differently. Either way, it will always feel fresh.
“Taking Wheel 1 a second time helped more of the throwing process to click. The first time I took the class, I was just trying to mirror what the instructor did. The second time, I was more familiar with the full process and better understood how one step impacted the next. I knew how the clay would respond to pushes and pulls, and I was able to tweak my approach to better fit me instead of just trying to mirror the instructor. I also really appreciate the community of the Wheel 1 class - learning alongside others who are excited to try new things and improve is so refreshing, and the weekly class schedule provided consistency so I could start to build some muscle memory.” – Lindsey, Wheel 1 (Repeat) Student
It's a chance to learn from different teachers.
Different teachers will have different tips, hand positions, ways of troubleshooting, etc. The more tools in your belt, the easier it is to find the methods that work best for you. This will make things way easier when you decide to move on to more challenging throwing in wheel 1.5 or 2, and will help you to better explore your own projects as a member.
“Wheel One is our foundation class to wheel throwing, and I have had students take a Wheel 1 classes 3-4 times. They reported that their confidence, commitment, and skill level improved with each session. They loved the structure and community of Wheel 1. I always encourage students to take classes from more than one instructor. Each one of us may have a different spin or style of teaching the same basic steps. We also have different little nuggets of information based on our own personal experiences, likes, and dislikes. You will learn our “tricks of the trade” so to speak. And we know multiple exposures to information increase one’s ability to retain the information. The bottom line is that we ALL love what we do and we want to share that with you!” -Julie Foster, Wheel 1 Instructor
Every wheel project starts with the same basic moves.
Focusing on getting more comfortable and confident at the basic moves -- centering, opening, pulling -- will help you in the long run. These fundamental skills will help you to be able to throw larger, taller, and more intricate pieces the more you practice! You will also become faster over time, so even simple shapes and pieces won’t take nearly as much time to complete as before.
“I think it’s super beneficial to take Wheel 1 multiple times! It’s nice to periodically go back to the basics - I pick up on something new and build on fundamental skills every time, which in turn makes it so I get more out of my experience when I take the advanced classes. It’s also so fulfilling to watch others experience clay and offer advice/encouragement along the way!” - Adrianna, Wheel 1 (Repeat) Student
There's only one way to get better at wheel throwing, and that is...to throw on the wheel.
Just like our brains, our hands need time to learn new skills, and the best way they learn is through practice. The more time you spend throwing on the wheel, the more automatic the moves will feel, as your hands get stronger and more practiced. Taking wheel 1 a few times before moving on gives your hands a chance to learn at a calm pace. Even better, get a membership and practice in between classes. Many people have found that getting a bit of throwing in every day, or even every few days, makes a huge difference in building physical memory.
"Practice Makes Improvement! The pottery wheel is a machine that takes time and practice to figure out. Every time you sit at the wheel, you improve and learn something new. Take Wheel 1 a couple of times to keep building your skills with the support of a teacher. I highly recommend taking classes with multiple teachers. We all have different ways of throwing and teaching, and sometimes another teacher will explain something in a different way that just makes it click!" - LP Keller, Wheel 1 Instructor
From building muscle memory, to learning different ways to do the same thing, there is still SO much more to be learned be re-taking Wheel 1. There’s so much opportunity to build muscle memory, practice your techniques, and get to know your own throwing style. Being in a creative environment with people on a similar skill level will always be beneficial, and you can build a great community, as well as trade tips and tricks. Wheel 1 is just the start of your creative journey into the wonderful world of ceramics!
