Art Classroom Management?? What's
that?
Let me give you the one word that
has changed my life in the Art Room...PROCEDURES
I read a couple of books
recommended to me-
And then
I decided what I thought would be reasonable in my elementary
art classroom. I would want them to walk in quietly and sit down at our carpet
space to be ready to learn. I would like them to stay on-task during their
table time. I would like them to clean up and then get quiet for instructions.
I want them to line up for their classroom teacher without talking.
I have
tried small rewards in the past, but this time, I drilled them on procedures
for the first three days of Art. Once we started our art time in class, I began
giving them a point for following each of these procedures. The first class to
get to 35 gets a trophy to keep in their room and a free recess during art
time. They love it. When those kids file into the room without talking, sitting
quietly on the carpet, I think, "These kids are ready to learn," and
I share the visuals and objectives with them as they look and listen. Clean up
is the hardest procedure and I believe next year, we will practice it the
longest. I plan on developing more
procedures as the years go on.
For
Kindergarten, the delay of reward is too long, so they get stickers here and
there for following procedures.
I forgot
to tell you the procedures I use as I see them walking down the hall to my
classroom. I tip back a shot of coffee, tighten my running shoes, and pray.
What
procedures have you found to be effective in your classroom?
