A method for making a porous ceramic honeycomb body, the method comprising: providing a plasticized cordierite ceramic forming precursor batch composition, comprising: an inorganic powder batch mixture comprising a magnesium oxide source having a median particle size diameter D 50 less than or equal to 15 microns, an alumina source having a median particle size diameter D 50 less than or equal to 8.0 microns, and a silica source having a median particle size diameter D 50 less than or equal to 15 microns; at least 0.5 wt% of at least one glass forming metal oxide source comprising an yttrium source, a lanthanum source, or a combination thereof; an organic binder; and a liquid vehicle; forming a honeycomb green body from the plasticized cordierite precursor batch composition; and firing the honeycomb green body to form a porous ceramic honeycomb body comprising a primary cordierite ceramic phase having a median pore size diameter d 50 less than 7.9 microns; an elastic modulus ratio E 900°C /E 25°C of not greater than 1.01; and a thermal shock parameter of at least 450°C, where TSP is (MOR 25°C /E 25°C)(CTE 500-900°C) -1, MOR 25°C is the modulus of rupture strength at 25°C, E 25°C is the Young's elastic modulus at 25°C, E 900°C is the elastic modulus at 900°C measured during heating, and CTE 500-900°C is the high temperature thermal expansion coefficient at from about 500°C to about 900°C, with the proviso that the method is not the method described in Examples 13 and 14 of WO 2009/005679 A1. providing a plasticized cordierite ceramic forming precursor batch composition, comprising: an inorganic powder batch mixture comprising a magnesium oxide source having a median particle size diameter D 50 less than or equal to 15 microns, an alumina source having a median particle size diameter D 50 less than or equal to 8.0 microns, and a silica source having a median particle size diameter D 50 less than or equal to 15 microns; at least 0.5 wt% of at least one glass forming metal oxide source comprising an yttrium source, a lanthanum source, or a combination thereof; an inorganic powder batch mixture comprising a magnesium oxide source having a median particle size diameter D 50 less than or equal to 15 microns, an alumina source having a median particle size diameter D 50 less than or equal to 8.0 microns, and a silica source having a median particle size diameter D 50 less than or equal to 15 microns; at least 0.5 wt% of at least one glass forming metal oxide source comprising an yttrium source, a lanthanum source, or a combination thereof; an organic binder; and a liquid vehicle; forming a honeycomb green body from the plasticized cordierite precursor batch composition; and firing the honeycomb green body to form a porous ceramic honeycomb body comprising a primary cordierite ceramic phase having a median pore size diameter d 50 less than 7.9 microns; an elastic modulus ratio E 900°C /E 25°C of not greater than 1.01; and a thermal shock parameter of at least 450°C, where TSP is (MOR 25°C /E 25°C)(CTE 500-900°C) -1, MOR 25°C is the modulus of rupture strength at 25°C, E 25°C is the Young's elastic modulus at 25°C, E 900°C is the elastic modulus at 900°C measured during heating, and CTE 500-900°C is the high temperature thermal expansion coefficient at from about 500°C to about 900°C, with the proviso that the method is not the method described in Examples 13 and 14 of WO 2009/005679 A1.