ArtKat0508 06/30/2012 at 04:09pm
I try to have everything ready to go before the students arrive. I often clean up the first class early and do simple quiet game activities while I set up for the next class since there is no time in between classes. Setting up a routine that is the same every day has also helped.

3DpaintDigital 07/02/2012 at 01:18pm
Routine is the key to running my classroom. Consequences and rewards make routines get followed. Here is a few routines that I establish early on:
Sketchbooks are weekly homework assignments that require the students to spend one hour on one page in their sketchbook. these are plans for projects, skill practice, or skill review. They are assigned at the end of the week and due by the end of the following week. Reward for getting it in at the start of the week is a status point. Consequence for not turning it in by the end of the week is having the total points possible drop the next week (90% max Monday, 80% max Tuesday, and 0 after Friday).

Clean up is by seat numbers at each table. Students examine tables at start of class and report any messy tables. Each student is responsible for their own work space, but the person responsible for cleaning supplies rotates each day. Status point rewards for cleaning up consistently all week. Consequences start with warning and expectation explanation, with the possibility to get detentions and referrals for repeated offenses.

Status points are a reward system that I use to encourage students to keep my class running well and keep up with assignments. If a student has so many status points at the end of the semester they can choose to get a reward of a sketchbook or a small set of cool art tools. Those rewards come out of my pocket, so I keep them as useful tools for the students and inexpensive for me.

I recommend having solid plans for the students to follow and refining lesson plans each year to work towards student success. I talk with each student each week as an individual for 3 to 5 minutes about sketchbooks, notes, skills, materials, and projects. I feel that connecting with students and knowing who they are and what they are about will help them find success in my classroom and allow them to enjoy the visual arts.

stapier01 08/09/2012 at 05:58am
Totally agree with having an organized routine to keep things running smoothly.
In my elementary classroom, my biggest discipline problem is usually noise control. I do a table competition for a reward system. Each of the 4 color coded tables has a green, yellow, and red circle at their table on a ring. They start the class with yellow showing, and can go "up" to green or "down" to red depending on noise and behavior. At the end of the class, any table with a green circle showing puts a slip of paper that corresponds with their color table into a pocket for their class on a bulletin board. So if the blue table was on green, they put a blue strip in the pocket for thier class. At the end of the quarter, the table in each class with the most strips gets to choose a reward. I have a few choices, like take your shoes off, play art games, sit where you want, prize box, etc.

ronnidart 09/16/2012 at 10:47am
I used to have a table competition, too. I have also done a raffle. Cut up some scrap paper into strips. When you catch someone following the rules give them a slip. Students will write their names on the slips. Put the slips in a container then draw it out for a prize of some kind. Sometimes I use my sample as the prize. They love to take home the teacher's art work.
My problem is at the end of class, clean up. Students are working on their projects, trying to help, or just goofing off. It seems very chaotic.

lsouthard 05/01/2015 at 11:15am
I started using a technique called SLANT this year in my junior high art classes.

This technique is for getting the students attention for instruction time. I got the strategy from the book "Teach like a Champion" by Doug Lemov. It has been very effective.

When I say SLANT and raise my hand in the air, the students will do the following: Raise their hand with me. S= sit up, L=Listen, A= Ask or Answer questions when called on, N= (the book says Nod your head) I told then No Talking, T= Track the speaker with your eyes.

As soon as all students are demonstrating SLANT, I lower my hand and start instruction. I was surprised at how well this worked. So simple but saves me tons of time waiting for students to get quiet and to look at me.

I also use SLANT at the end of the class period to get their attention for clean up time. Once I have correct SLANT, I give them my expectations for clean up time. It Works!!!

lsouthard 05/01/2015 at 11:50am
Cold Call is another strategy from the same book. I use it when reviewing for an assessment or checking for understanding. here is how it works. Instead of asking a question and then calling on students that have their hand up, you call on students at random that do not have their hand up. This not only helps students pay attention, because they may be called on, it also gives you an effective way to check understanding.

If you call on a student and they do not know the answer, you immediately call on a student that has their hand up. When they give the correct answer, you go back to the first student and ask the question again. This will cause the students to listen and pay attention during review or instruction, because they know that you will be coming back to them for the answer. It also gives them a chance to have success during the review time.