First Week Down, Classroom tour

After all of my apron-making, I ended up ordering this Mona Lisa apron from Zazzle, much more my style. I also really like the way it fits. It is extra wide, so it covers my sides as well. 

I love seeing other art teachers' rooms, so I will definitely share mine. Mona Lisa on the door:

Is this doorway just screaming to be painted or what?

Gallery on the back wall. My daughter helped to fill some of the frames for me. 

 Seriously, my classroom is HUGE. I have a large wall of windows for natural lighting. I've been telling the students to just avert their eyes from the pile of boxes and other items in the corner. My back rooms weren't opened until a couple of days before school started. It is going to take me awhile to complete the unpacking.

 Other side. I don't have a lot of bulletin boards, so I am using my cabinets for that purpose.

 Artist of the month as a facebook board. I've seen this idea a few places, including here.

 Front of the room. My smartboard will go in that empty space in the middle. Again, ignore the trash. That part was at least gone beforeo school started.

This was fun!

I have such a long expanse of cabinets, and nothing to put there. I remembered this classroom from Mrs. Knight's Smartest Artists, but I didn't want to make it just like that. I found these canvases for cheap at Michael's, plus 60% off, plus 20% off of that. They are 18x24, so they will still have pretty good visual impact above the cabinets. I am so excited for the new school year!

What worked for me?

At the beginning of last year, I posted about all that I was doing to keep things organized. Now, that I am prepping for the coming year, I thought I would share what worked for me, and what didn't. 

This first part is actually from a different post talking about centers. I still absolutely LOVE centers for my pre-K and Kindergarten classes. The kids end up doing a better job on the main lesson because they get more individual attention from me. They are less likely to do a rush job, because I really break things down into smaller steps. They were moving on to a new center before they had a chance to mix every single color in their painting. For projects that took longer, I would change up the timing of the centers, and have two groups working on the main art project, but rotating at different times. I could do this, because I always had one group sitting on the carpet, building or reading. I would also forgo centers for some projects, especially towards the end of the year. Things that I have used for centers: BLOCKS, tons of blocks. I have a couple of different sets of wooden blocks and legos. I am considering getting foam blocks this year-not so noisy. We also have tangram blocks. While the original intention is for flat designs, my students also use them to build up.

I make playdough for one center, which the kids really love. When they start making a bigger mess with it, I will rotate it out, so they don't get bored. We keep it in bags, inside a covered bowl, so it lasts a few weeks. 

Last year, I painted my lower cabinets with chalkboard paint. This was a huge hit, and had minimal set-up. I'm in a different building this year, so I'm not sure if I will be able to do something like this again. 

My 6th graders added frames around the chalkboard paint, too. Most of these things were available for early finishers, too.  Those were my most popular, but I would sometimes rotate in free draw and modeling clay. I can't imagine that I will stop using centers any time soon, unless my class times were shortened significantly (right now, they are 45 minutes.) Thanks again, Becca Ruth!

Last year, I talked about going crazy color coordinating. Honestly, I felt crazy setting things up, but most of it really kept things going. The kids knew where things were supposed to go. It did make things easier. One thing that I used were table folders (I'm not sure where I got this idea, read it on someone's blog last summer.) I laminated a folded 9x12 piece of construction paper, where I had written the teacher's name. It made passing things out so much easier and faster, because I didn't have to do any of it. The kids passed them out-the kids picked them up. The only problem I found was that I didn't discover that names were not on everything until much later, which made assessments harder if I was doing anything outside of class. I would even attach them with clips to the drying rack. Students were supposed to put their wet items on one of the racks underneath their table folder. Some would get mixed up, but not so many that it was too confusing. I could just pull paintings off of the drying rack, stick them in the folder, and they could be passed out quickly again.

I had originally intended to use colored placemats for the students to cover their table and keep with their paintings on the drying rack. I didn't like them at all. They seemed to just be in the way, and didn't stay on the drying rack very well. The only thing I used them for was underneath the playdough at that center. I still have some for last year for that purpose, but I won't try to use them for other things. It is just easier to me to clean the tables. 

You can see my table folder's clipped onto my drying rack. 

My crazy color coordinating will continue this year. I'll keep using those things that work. Since I have so many sinks in my new room, I think I will be color coding them, too.

Last year, I had the students in grades 3-6 start each class with a 5 minute drawing. I liked the idea that they would have more time for drawing practice, and that it would give me 5 minutes with back to back classes to get last minute things organized and see who was there. However, it seemed to take too long. Not the drawing part, but putting the sketchbooks (a folder with loose paper really) away. We ended up abandoning it towards the end of the year. What I would really LOVE to have are actual sketchbooks for the students to use. One year, several years ago, I made sketchbooks for a whole grade, but I'm not sure that I have the time or resources for it this year. I'll have to think on this more.

Another thing that worked really well for me with organizing was my job chart. I loved having it. It was easy to change the jobs out in the bubbles, though I didn't rotate them except when we changed out media. It was easier to keep some consistency.

We studied all of these artists last year, and I think I will change the artist this year to different ones that we will study. I can't wait!

New room and aprons, ie- post full of terrible photos

My school had outgrown its building. We had portable buildings outside, two Kindergarten classes sharing a room, and reading classes in the hall. A bit ironic since the year before our district closed several (14?) schools  because of empty classrooms. The good thing about this bit of irony is that there was a large empty school building just over a mile away from our school. So, this summer, a middle school is being outfitted as an elementary school. When they first showed the teachers through the building, it had been a dumping ground. All of the furniture from all of these schools that closed was everywhere. Naturally, all of that stuff was removed; the rooms were painted, new carpeting, doors, lockers, etc. They are not finished, but the second floor items have been moved into the classrooms. We aren't really supposed to be there, but I had to check it out on Monday and start unpacking. This is what I walked into on Monday, a mountain of crap pushed to one side.

Really these pictures are terrible, so I'm not sure that you can see the five large pallets of boxes. The giant tv stand is blocking some of it. I get a little overwhelmed with so much work in front of me sometimes. I just started grabbing one box at a time. It helped that I was afraid I was going to be kicked out at any moment. Decisions about where to put things had to be made quickly, though, of course, things can be moved later if it doesn't work for me. 

My last classroom was little and full of character. This room is very ordinary, but has an excess of SPACE. I'm not sure if you can tell how really large it is. In the above picture, you can kind of see the lower cabinets that run all along that side of the room under the windows. There are SEVEN sinks on that wall. This is a former science room, so they are those little bitty sinks. With so many though, I can assign each table its own sink! There is another little sink at a teacher area behind all that piled up stuff, and another large (wide not deep) sink all of the way to the left corner. Woohoo! Two years ago, I was moving into a classroom without a sink. I filled up a large orange water jug, which was in a cart over a bucket. No hand washing allowed. Last year, I had one little science sink, and many times I would decide that it was just going to take too long for everyone to wash their hands. I still might decide that, but not because of a lack of sinks! To the back right of the room is a kitchen. I don't have a key to it yet, but there are a couple of windows in there. It has a dishwasher and full size refrigerator. I am a little scared to see inside of the fridge. There is another locked door back there, which hopefully is a closet large enough for my kiln. 

This other photo is of the other side, with tons of cabinets again. This photo was after I had been unpacking for awhile. My son would like for you to see his new Spiderman water bottle. I realize it might look like I just piled everything on the counter, but there is just as much inside those cabinets. Some items I am pretty sure that I want to put in the back area are just stacked over near the door.  Behind me in these photos are two large whiteboards, space for my smartboard, and a very small bulletin board. I have another large whiteboard on the other side of the room and a small bulletin board. I would definitely prefer the bulletin boards, but I have worked around it before with tape and magnets. I will share more photos closer to school, hopefully it will be pretty and colorful by then.

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On to the next topic-aprons. I wear an apron at school all day, everyday. I used to only wear one when we were doing messy things, but I ruined a white shirt while we were using crayons one day. It's just become my uniform. Generally, I just wear a plain black one most of the time, and then a longer one from a clay lady workshop when we are doing clay. I started decorating a couple this past year. I gyotaku printed one of them, and had one of them screen printed with a guitar by one of our sixth graders. I am going to add "Art Rocks!" to the top. Since, I wear these everyday, I decided that I should have more that are interesting. I saw these aprons, and, immediately was drawn to the cute ruffles, my hidden girly-girl coming out, I guess. They are not particularly practical, but I thought that I could at least wear one with less messy media.

Aprons from a Crafty Weekend. 

I had a plain white apron leftover from my daughter's art birthday party earlier in the summer. I'm also a quilter, so was able to just used my scraps. I still think it is really cute, but not sure that it is really me. Photo at night, in a mirror, really nice. The red is more pink, plus every color is off really. 

My daugther, the ulitmate girly girl loves it, but thinks it would be better as a dress. My husband thinks it is just ugly. 

The same night that I made my ruffle apron, I also attempted to make this denim apron. I had a trashed pair of jeans and more fabric for the edges. 

Mine isn't quite right, though. First of all, I prefer the dark denim. Mine also fits a bit weird, but I'm not sure how to fix it. 

View one from the front, I made my edging thinner, too. 

Now, in this photo you can really see the problem. Giant gapping at the chest. I really can't wear it like this. Is it too wide? Too long? Ties on the side too low? All of the above?

Again, my daugher thinks it is cute. My husband thinks it looks trashy.

PS. Let me point out that I originally found both of these on pinterest. It is one of my pet peeves when someone only cites pinterest. It's a pinboard, original ideas don't come from there, they are generally from someone's blog or other website. Give actual credit, though I realize it is kind of hard when you have seen hundreds of different examples of the melted crayon art.

Going Green

This photo doesn't have anything to do with this post. This is a project that my 6th graders completed this month. Idea from here. I am so impressed with the number of students that she had do this project. Not even sure how so many managed it. And Yep, my bulletin boar is partially covered by the copy machine.

I think art teachers have always been pretty good about reusing materials in the art room, keeping thrifty, showing our students that art can be made from ANYTHING. I have seen so much more lately about green items. Not just in the classroom, but from friends making their own laundry detergent, even. It seems that lately, it isn't as much about saving the environment as it is about being strapped for cash. I even read about one school who was going green by no longer printing worksheets for homework. They were going to let the parents print the worksheets, instead. Ha!

It makes me think of trying to explain to my students that we shouldn't throw away paper that had a small mark on it, because they were made from trees. "We need to save the trees!" The kids looked at me like I had a tree growing out of my head. Then, I said, "we don't have enough money to buy more paper!" In unison, my kids said, "OOOOOOHHH." Now I was speaking their language.

I've always been fairly thrifty in the classroom. I've had many years of very small budgets. This year, the pinch is pretty bad. The order that I placed in our school system's warehouse back in the middle of August has not been filled. I finally received a little bit of construction paper last week. I'm feeling a bit desperate for tempera paint and white drawing paper, though. The other items that have been purchased for my room have come from my sad paycheck. I bought crayons, markers, pencils, and oil pastels. Out are the long range plans at this point. We should be painting by now, but I can't teach color theory without yellow.

In the spirit of full disclosure, two of my projects have been funded this past month from donorschoose.org. If you are feeling the pinch, and don't know about this program, check out their website (I don't work for them, free publicity!) To help fund one of the projects, I was even willing to make 4 videos of myself talking about teaching. Some areas have foundations that match donations. I am fortunate to live in a city where we have a wonderful foundation that supports education by matching half of all projects in high poverty schools. It makes a huge difference to only need to find half of the funding. These were my first two projects through donorschoose and I am hooked! One of my projects was for linoleum block printing for 6th graders and the other was for TEMPERA paint! My plan was for this to be in addition to my order through the school system, but this may be all of the paint that I get. Hoping it comes in soon.

So, until I receive my paint order, I'm looking for lessons that can use what we already have. Collage with fabric and wallpaper samples?   Somehow I have a ton of manila paper. What do you do with that? Thinking I am going to collage on it. Can we do printmaking on white copy paper? I have a lot of it, too! What are you doing to save money in your classroom? Are you having more problems with budgets this year, too?

A few things I am doing:

• GOOSE paper (I read this on someone's blog last year, so I would be happy to give credit if someone knows where.) Goose paper is paper that is Good On One Side. I keep pulling paper out of the recycling bins around school. We use this for free draw for fast finishers.
• Bottle caps- I am jumping on the bandwagon here, but if I can get them for free, let's do it.
• Cups-I did this last year, too. We are going to weave on recycled cups. 
• Milk jugs- another repeat from previous years, masks made from 1/2 of a milk jug, with paper mache, again recycling newspaper. 
• Magazines- Obvious one here, collage. I went to the recycling center last year and pulled out newspaper and magazines. Fortunately, I went on a day that they were pretty full, so I didn't have to get INTO the dumpster. 
• Mat board-Mat scraps from a frame shop. This is what we will probably be using for painting. Guess I'll gesso ahead of time? Do you think that is necessary?

Crazy about color (coordinating)

So, yeah, I'm really proud of all of the work that I've done on my room. Organization is not my best area, so this has been my goal for this school year. I have pored over art teacher blogs and pinterest (ah, pinterest.) And, I feel a little bit like a crazy, color coordinated lady. I've always organized my tables by color, but now kids MUST get the bucket that belongs with their table, and put their sketchbooks in their color , and follow the behavior chart by their color, AND get PLACEMATS (good grief, I made color-coordinated placemats) for their table color, AND put art in their tables' folder, AND put art on the drying rack WITH their colored placemat so that I can keep art from their table together. MAYBE I'm going a bit overboard, but I am just SO determined to be organized. Somehow this is supposed to make my job easier (I hope!) Of course, since I'm doing all of this color stuff, I'm decorating with color stuff, too. I LOOOOVE bunting, and have made it before for my children's birthday parties. I decided that we needed some colorful bunting in the classroom, too. I also made a rainbow curtain to hide the junk that is in the storage area. I'm trying to be organized but I don't have anywhere else for all of my boxes of clay, and ugly rack to go. All this is hidden by a gray curtain with rainbow down the center.

I feel very fortunate to have a sink, kiln, and smartboard, but, boy does my room feel tiny, especially with larger classes. I haven't made them yet, but I am planning to keep student work in portfolios this year. For the most part, it has just driven me crazy in the past when I see students fold up art to take home, or seen teachers trash it before giving it to students (I so wish that I was kidding.) I like the idea that students will take all of their art home in a special way, and will be able to see their progress throughout the year. I also like that students can go back and rework art that they don't love. However, and this is the reason that I haven't yet made portfolios, where do you store all of those things? I have nearly 600 students. The portfolios will all be made from bulletin board paper (I know posterboard would be better, but I don't have the budget to order something new. I'm going with what I have.)

I have rows of cubbies that you can see here. We are using them for "sketchbook" storage (folders with loose paper in them.) And, the folders barely fit.

Behind the cubbies, is my main flat file storage. This is where I am planning on keeping our current projects, but, as you can see, there won't be room for every student's portfolio in each small drawer.

I do have a large rolling rack (that I am assuming is meant for clay? maybe.) I could potentially stand some of the portfolios in there, but I'm not sure that it will work. Plus, it is where all prints are kept right now. I don't have many and could deal with it, but then, where do portfolios go when we are doing clay?   I thought about a large box per class, but then, these would just have to be lined up on the floor somewhere. Any thoughts that any of you have on portfolio storage in a fairly small classroom, please let me know.

Almost there...

School starts in just over a week. I'm mostly done with my classroom, just a few small things to help establish routines and maybe a few things to jazz it up as well. I'm excited about what I have so far, so I'll share what I have.

Look at all my borrowed ideas... I loved the idea of a job chart for every student. I got this idea from Mrs. Picasso's art room, but used self-portraits of famous artists. Each bubble will be filled in with a job for that day. 

A view of this wall. I only have very small strips of bulletin boards above the white boards, so I am taping onto the white boards at this point. I also found this unmounted bulletin board in the back room, so I will be adding that as well. I do not love that I have the boxes of clay in the open shelving, but I'm just working with the storage that I have (obviously, not great.)

Another borrowed idea, though it sounds like she is looking for a new plan for assigning seats. In the past, I usually have just assigned tables and told students to sit in any chair at that table. I decided that I needed a new plan this year.

Another shot of my desk, smartboard and the kiln in the storage area.

Another view of the storage area in the back and wall of windows.

Color coordinating all of my buckets for supplies. 

I had mentioned before that I was spending the summer reading about classroom management. That has seemed to always be one of my lowest areas and was definitely last year. From much of my reading, I decided that procedures was probably the specific part of classroom management where I needed the most help. Previously, I did not practice procedures very much at the beginning of the year. I would explain procedures, which changed frequently based on media. I decided this year that I had to make as many procedures as possible clear from the very beginning. That was the biggest thing I liked about the bulletin board where each student has a job and knows where to find it. Even if the job is completely different, at least it is clear who will be doing what job each day. It is a whoa..whoa..whole lot of work to figure out every procedure that will be basically needed throughout the year. This will be a learning process for me. 

Of course, I spent the summer reading about classroom management, read books, blogs, etc. And then, I find out that my new school had a three day workshop, which turned out to be about classroom management, basically. So, my new rules plan, etc is changed. Sort of. There was still talk about establishing procedures. The workshop was called "Changing Kids' Hearts," and includes creating a contract for behavior, so I will be working on that with my students in the first week and a half. Hopefully, spending time establishing procedures and having students buy into our social contract will give us more class time later in the year, so I'm not spending so much of my time correcting students. 

Any suggestions you have for establishing procedures would definitely be helpful. Looking at my photos, I really want to jazz up the room, though it might not happen before school starts. I can always add items later.