The Beginning of the End of room 169

   Okay the beginning of the end sounds really bad. I'm not going anywhere, but my classroom is. You see my school is very old. It was built in 1961 and it currently educates great grand children of past alumni. My mother graduated from CHS in 1974, my bother in 1985, sister in 1990, and finally my husband and myself in 2004. CHS has the typical old worn out building feel. The classrooms and hallways are too small for our 1,300 students. Furniture and wiring is out dated and not up to code and the list goes on. In fact, the two art rooms and art lab aren't even art rooms. They were built as band rooms, so they are way too small and have no windows except for a window in each outside door. Don't get me wrong the two art rooms are big, but not really big enough. We also have an art lab which houses our 5 sinks, storage closet, kiln closet, and AP studio arts class. 
   The new building is currently being built on the existing school site. How can that happen you ask? In phases. They are taking down one hall/gym/everything  else at a time and building in it's place. This time next year, most teachers will be in the new building. YAY!
   I realized last year that I never posted any pictures of my classroom. I think it's because with it being my first year teaching high school, I didn't really know what I wanted to do with it. I've always said that you can't really arrange a room the way you would like until you know what you will utilize the most. So papers piled and things got moved about and displayed on a whim. Beginning this school year was a lot easier. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. 
   I'm pretty proud of these old rooms. They have random furniture because again, these were not built as art rooms. All the mismatch of furniture has its purpose though. Let's take a tore shall we. 

My "main" classroom is 169. It's were I had Art II when I was in High School. This room holds so many memories. 

I am so thankful for this piece. It's a huge bar basically. It has a large counter with two cabinets behind and space to store things below. It even has electricity running to it. I take attendance here, students turn in work behind the counter, and I can set out many materials on it's large surface. Last year I had my Art I students paint some "Abstract" designs on it because it's gonna be thrown away any way this time next year. Currently I have Art II's Frayer Model charts of the Elements of Art hanging. 

 Behind the counter.

Beside my teacher desk (which I don't have a picture of…) I have my student "boxes", germX, tissues, and band aids. Thanks to this pin, instead of having caddies or baskets on the tables, I have boxes. The first person who comes in the room takes the drawer "box" out for the table. 

 Inside each box are supplies we use the most in class. 4 pencils, 4 erasers, index cards, sharpener, 4 sharpies, and post-its. I love these because I check the boxes after every class. Yes, every class. That's how you don't get things stolen. They bring them up, I check, and they put them back in their place. The next class takes them out as they come it. It's perfect!!! I'll get little containers later. One step at a time here people. 

 Then, beside my back door we have this old set of chester-drawers. It houses all my paper needs and my Art III's drying wrack. 

 These little beauties are our 3-D drying racks. They were made by a student's father many years ago. We don't have good 2-D drying racks so I utilize these for that purpose as well. I love how the selves can slide out. These will follow us to the new building… possibly. Currently they are still holding some miscellaneous things from the summer clean up. I'll clean them off when we get to painting. 

 My E's and P's wall. I don't like the ones you buy because I feel like you can't see everything on them. So I made my own at our teacher center. Underneath the black table clothes is a tired looking green chalk board. Ick… Below the board you will notice the paint chipping away because the "stuff" on the walls won't allow the paint to stick… 

 These are my class portfolios. I separate them in tubs and number them with each student's class number. 

 The other art teacher at my school Renee Gary introduced me to using filing organizers to stair step the portfolios to see them better. This also keeps them from falling down. 

 Part of the back wall with the "Student Gallery" and portfolio tubs. We're on a block schedule and have 4 blocks a day. Each teacher teaches 3 blocks a day. If you're lucky like me you get to teach 5 classes with two classes doubled up! Yay! (It's the only way we could have AP Studio Arts)

 These have saved my sanity. Class mail boxes. Students in Art I - III have their own mailbox where they keep their folders, sketchbooks, and various other materials. The cabinet below is from somewhere and is great for organizing materials. You can also see my class schedule. 

 Better look at the mailboxes, class expectations, and checklist.

 Now you can see the door to the AP Studio Arts room, aka the Lab. The little yellow cabinet on wheels is my paint cabinet. Filing cabinets for magazines I get from teachers, student abstract wood sculpture, rack for painting shirts, and random decorative table at the entrance. 

On around in front of my desk is my podium which I demo from. It has many shelves which hold all the materials I need for demos and my lady bug doc camera. 

 Here is the view of my room as you enter. My desk and long bar is to the right and painting cabinet and Lab door to the left. Yes, I do have a white board at the back as well. 

Now let's venture into the Lab where AP Studio Arts calls home. I have AP in conjunction with my Art III and Art II class. Currently I have 18 AP students. I'll be glad when all the tables match in the new building. 

This room is full of so many memories. It was the Advanced Art Lab when I was in school and we called it home. 

As you walk in to the left you will see our announcements board and clean up instructions 

 Student tables with table caddies because I do trust my AP kids a bit more with their materials. If they lose it, I don't replace it. (wink)

 Here you see the entrance to the lab and materials selves.

 These are a life saver as well. A gentleman made these for the art department about 10 years ago after I left. The AP students keep materials in baskets and work in the cubbies. 

 In front of the cubbies is the tall studio tables. I sat at these very tables when I was here. Notice the paintings on the stools made my the class of 2000. 

 The sinks are located behind the AP cubbies. We have 5, but Mrs. Gary and I decided to separate them . They clog about half the time...

 AP easels and computer tables. You will also see the AP posters along the wall. 

 I began the AP Inbox this year. Right inside the door students can keep their portfolio folders and important papers. I will also place rubrics and important notes inside. In front of that is the AP basket where students turn in papers or exit slips. 

That's all for now. I do have more pictures that I forgot to take. So check back for an update. 

Last Minute Changes

I just had to share my last minute change to my "Free Choice" center. 

(Read more about it here)

This treasure of a book cart was just sitting in our work room with a "who wants it" paper on it. So I snatched it.

I used to have my free choice center in my shelves along the wall. That was okay cause I didn't have room for it anywhere else. But that area was always getting congested. I ditched my rolling easel and brought in this baby. I've used it only one day and have had no traffic jams. 

 The front is perfect for my drawing books. Finally they wont be falling over!

 Right side. Easy access to materials.

Left side. I love how students can access three sides at once so they don't have much temptation to push and shove at clean up. 

A New Spin on the Behavior Board

For the past four years I have stuck with my tried and true behavior board, "The card pull system". It has been fool proof, but the preparation for it was tedious and tiresome. I had to buy new pockets and index cards. Write the teachers' names and grades. Then, I had to take away from class time to have all students 1st - 4th write their names on the cards. After that, I would have to write all the Kindergarteners' names on theirs. Not to mention stapling and lining up each pocket. That board always took an hour out of my life and money to prepare. 

It was a wonderful management tool, but sometimes it took the kids FOREVER to find their card in the teacher's pocket. "I can't find it", they would lie or seriously couldn't. Then, sometimes they would pull someone else's card. At the end of the day when I wrote down who had sat out that day (and then therefor miss art party time) I would sneer. I guess they thought I'd forget who the culprit was.    

Out with the old and in with the new!

When I was in middle school, a teacher of mine had us write our name on the board when we misbehaved. That was the warning. Next, she would add a check mark. You might even get up to three checks then you had a detention. 

So I ran with a version of that. I made dry erase papers buy putting a thin piece of cardboard and a white piece of paper in a page protector. I then taped colored duct tape around the sides and tacked them to my board. I also placed a dry-erase marker in a cup close by.

The idea:

On 1st offense: write name on green warning board

2nd: write name on yellow 5 minute no art board

3rd: write name on red 10 minute no art board with an added parent communication note home

(they take a note out of the red pocket and hand it to me to write their name on it and the infraction. They must have it signed and brought back the next day or their teacher and myself will decide the next form of punishment)

The parent and office notes are kept handy! 

4th: the office. Students pull the office note for me to fill out and I send them with a buddy to the office. The buddy is to make sure the student gets there and doesn't hide out in the bathroom. (it's happened before)

I am still sticking to my, "If you get anytime no art then you have to serve the time again at the art party." I believe that is what really drives my management because it hits them twice. 

This might sound bad, but I can't wait to try it out.

:)

"Ketchup Day" in the Art Room

Have you ever had a handful of students not finish their work on time EVER? Are you tired of using your valuable planning time putting artwork into portfolios? Does it take too much time away from your lesson to pass out work for students to put into their portfolios or to take home? I WAS! Oh my gosh, and if I only passed out work and portfolios while the students just "waited"... I can't begin to tell you how many behavior problems I would have.  

Ever since seeing a painted ketchup bottle on many blogs, I have loved the idea of a "Ketchup" catch up day.  I don't think I ever successfully pulled one off or timed it right until this year. 

After each project most of us can agree that usually 3 to 4 students aren't able to finish within the "planned" project time due to illness, taking their time, or really doing their best. I do not include, "Due to misbehavior" because I nip that pretty quickly. 

Let's start with what "Ketchup Day" is.

"Ketchup Day" is a day for students to catch up on incomplete artwork. 

When is Ketchup Day? After every two projects. 

How long are most projects? Kindergarten through 2nd grade projects can take up to 2 days. 3rd - 4th grade projects can take 2 to 3 days to complete. 

Table folders filled with unfinished work. Portfolios underneath. 

How to prep for a Ketchup day

After each project, I put finished and graded projects for each class together with a clip and place it behind the class's portfolios in the bin. Unfinished work stays in the table folders also located behind the portfolios. 

Folders at top with unfinished work. Below are finished artworks ready to be handed out. 

How I "Ketchup"

I start with explaining that today is a Ketchup day which means we are going to catch up on work not completed, do some free choice, and put completed projects into their portfolios. 

If your artwork is in your folder it means you need to catch up. Materials needed for catch up are located on my table or at the sink.  Once you finish your work raise your hand for me to check, and then you may do free choice. 

Materials ready for catch up.

If you have no work in the folder then you are finished and may do "Free Choice" today. 

I will then allow the catch up people to get their materials. To avoid a stampede, the finished students will be called by table to get their first free choice activity. 

How I pass back work

Once students have been at work for about 10 minutes I explain that I will call names and pass out portfolios. They don't need to do anything with their portfolio except put it on their table. 

More finished and non-finished work.

Then, I explain that when I call their name this time I will be handing back graded artwork that needs to go into their portfolio. I also instruct students not to add to their finished artworks. 

Because students are working on free choice while I am passing back work, there are little to no misbehaviors because they are kept busy. 

I then go around and pick up the portfolios. I do this because I have been passing out work and have not been able to see what they have been working on. 

If you wish, during older grades students can pass out portfolios and work for you. 

I hope this helps many of you struggling getting students caught up and shows you that you don't have to use up your precious planning time putting work away. 

Good Behavior Art Party / Reward Party

I love to reward my students. I began good behavior art parties my first year of teaching after one of my student teacher placements did them. The parties are not only fun for the kids but they are a part of my behavior management plan.

It all begins with my whole class behavior chart.

With this chart each class had to get 9 green days to earn a party. This made it so classes could only earn 4 parties a year at most. Some classes would only get 2 a year...

This is my new game board chart. At the beginning of class classes start with 3 points. If they get too loud, or whatever else, they lose a point. At the end of class I move their game piece the number of points they have earned. There are 27 spaces. 27/3 is 9 for 9 weeks. Again, classes can earn up to 4 parties a year.

If a class misses a day due to an event or snow day I will automatically give them 3 points for the missed day.

Closer look at the game pieces. I use Post Its brand bookmarks.

FYI students love the game board more than the chart.










PARTY TIME!!
Most of the time I use ART CENTERS. Sound familiar to my faithful followers? Check here if not. 
Good Behavior Art Party centers are a bit different, but the set up and execution are the same. 
I set up 3 centers. I have 6 tables so I set up 2 tables for each center. Students may sit where they want as long as there are still 4 chairs at each table. I explain it to the kids as follows:

"For your Art Party you will be doing three centers. You will be at each center for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off you will clean up your center and sit quietly. Change to the next center when I say "GO". You may begin the next center as soon as you get there. "

Center times will depend on the amount of time you have. Adjust accordingly. 

I like to change my centers up a bit each nine weeks. Here are pics from my first parties this year. 

Shaving cream! I buy the Barbor brand cheep good stuff. 3 squirt lines per student and one  "reload" line at the halfway time. Cleanup: Student use wash cloths to wipe their hands and selves clean. The last group cleans the table with the same towels.

Free Paint. Only one paper. Must write name first. Don't forget to Swish, Wipe, and Blot. Cleanup: Paintings to the rack and refill water cups.

Play Dough! Each student gets one container of play dough. No mixing or sharing.  Cleanup: mush up all play dough crumbs and put back into container. 

Easy as 1, 2, 3. Every nine weeks I change the centers up, but I will usually leave painting because they love it so much. Make sure to rotate around the room to monitor. I explain the clean up directions as I go around the room. They will be more likely to remember the clean up directions if you give tell them each time they are at a center. If you give them all at the beginning they will typically forget or not pay attention because they are excited.

Side note: If a student has had to pull their card through the nine weeks and has ended up in time out, they will serve the time out time again at their party. DON! DON! DON!

Do you have good behavior rewards? What are they? 

What are some other quick and easy centers you could have at your party?

26 Kindergartners! A possible new spin on Art Centers

My followers know I love to teach Kinders with Art Centers.  But this year is going to put them to the test.  I have always had Kinder classes of 20 or less.  It was pretty simple to divide them into three groups of 6 or 7.  This year we have a record number of Kinders enrolled.  5 classes with 24 to 26 in each!

My whole reason behind art centers was to cut down on behavior problems, keep them focused on a task, and teach them in a small group setting.  All of which encouraged learning and creating.  Would the centers still work?  Why of course they will.  I will just have to be a little more resourceful.

Here's the plan.  I have 6 round tables and 1 kidney table.  I will still have 3 main art centers, except this time; I'll have two tables per center.  For example, 2 tables of building activities, 2 tables of play dough, and 2 tables of Toobers and Zots rotating every 12 minutes (45 min. class).  So where will we create projects and have a lesson?

Kidney table allows for small group work. Teacher is always
facing the entire class so classroom management will be easier.

 I will "pull out" one table at a time from the rotation to come to the "Art Center" at the kidney table for 12 minutes.  When the 12 minutes are up I will pull another table and send the other back into the rotation.  So only 3 tables will come to the art table each class time.  The next class time the other three tables will come.

I know this means two art days of the same project, but I have had kinders master skills so much better when I can teach them in a small group.  I love centers because they work.

All kinders start on Monday! I'll let you know how it goes.

Tables / Centers

What bulletin board could you not teach without?

As I sit here thinking about how to design my new classroom...
Yes, I say "design" rather than "decorate".  We design to create an effective learning environment.  We decorate to make it look nice.
I think about the boards that I have put up in my room that have really made a difference or have enhanced my teaching.

My Top 6 Bulletin Boards

6. Elements and Principles of Art

Need I say more? They are our basic vocabulary and I refer to the everyday. They are always displayed where students can easily see them. 

 

5. Name, Table, Code

If this is not on the back of a student's work, I am lost.  This is one of the first procedures we practice.  Name: student's first name

Table: the color table they sit at

Code: Teacher's initial - grade

(Sorry I don't have a picture of this on my board. This is an example on the back of a student's work)

4. Swish, Wipe, Blot

This poster is the difference between life and death for my brushes and paint. Students learn to swish in the water, wipe the brush on the side of the bucket, and blot on the paper towel

3. Art Marks

Many art teachers don't use this kind of system. That is fine, because this system works great for me.  This is a whole group behavior chart. It has more to do with noise level then anything else. A class will end art class on a green (great day), yellow (okay day), or red (not good) day.  I have three circles with these colors on my board. If students get too loud during working time I will put up a green warning (If they never get a warning it is a green day).  If they get loud again, yellow last warning.  Finally, if they continue to be loud or unruly, I will put up a red for no talking. At the end of the year, the class in each grade with the most green days wins a surprise party (Lots of fun art games)

2. Landscape, Still life, Portrait

I refer to this so much that by November students are pointing out which one we are creating before I even ask. This year I want to change it up with new examples throughout the year. Maybe even include some student examples. 

Finally the board that I can't teach without....

1. Behavior Board

I don't believe you can teach anything without an individual behavior system. Yes, I do use a whole group behavior chart, but this is the one I covet. It has taken many forms over the years, but has kept the same concept. 

When a student breaks a rule, I say, "pull your card" they go to the board and find their teacher's name on a pocket. The student pulls out the cards in the pocket to find their name. They will then clip their card to the consequence. 

Consequences: Warning, 5 minute time-out, 10 minute time-out, Teacher's decision (this is the most severe and I will deal with it appropriately. 

Here is the most current behavior board followed by previous years'. 

To learn more about this board visit The Behavior Board.

To find out more about each of these please visit Classroom Management. 

What board can you not teach without? 

(if you have a blog, please link to it)