First Week Reflections...

Wow! This last 2 weeks has been a whirlwind. I am finally settling into my crazy schedule between 3 schools. I have learned a few things at the elementary school. First, I need to have more patience. Second, I need to be flexible because the kids love that! And finally, if I assert my needs, administration rises to the occasion.

I found that in the first week the kids are all adjusting too. I went in to it immediately expecting them to respond, be focused, etc in art class. That was an unrealistic expectation on my part. They are adjusting to a new teacher, in some cases, new classmates, and a new schedule...for anyone that can cause you to be less focused. By the second meeting, the students were much more focused, and it seemed that they were remembering what the behavior expectations for school.

Fifth grade getting inspired by Arshlie Gorky's abstractions.

Kids were refreshed by my flexible approach to the art projects. I heard a little bit about their former teachers expecting them to be "perfect" and do it "her way". This hurts my heart! After all, the art room should be the one place in school where kids can make projects their way! I had to remind classes of this. "If I wanted a photograph of a person, I would give you a camera. Draw a person the best you can. I want a drawing." This relaxed them! "You want to make your cityscape with flying lollipops? Sounds great! In art, anything is possible!" I could see a sense of excitement come over them...and it spread like wildfire. The creativity was so awesome it made me want to cry with pride. I released something in my students. I am helplessly addicted to teaching art!

Finally, I am learning that when I tell my principals things that I need and want, they jump to accommodate me. This is a bit different from the high school, where administration has so many teachers and students to handle. At the school where I am teaching in the cafeteria, my principal is working on getting me a portable sink and has ordered me a dry erase board on wheels with storage! So, I am learning that she who asks may receive, so I will have to keep that up.

I think it is also important for me to stay organized. Writing things down is really helping. I switched from an electronic planner (my phone) to an old fashioned planner and it is working better for me.

Whew. Hopefully I will have more to share with you soon!

Art Room Organization Pics

I found this fantastic blog called the Teaching Palette. I haven't fully explored it yet, but check out this photo show on Flickr that art teachers shared about organizing an art classroom. FANTASTIC!

Organize Your Room!

Happy Cleaning!

Checkout this site for transition songs

I remembered this song my cooperating teacher used to sing when I student taught and I found a site with lots of other good examples!

http://www.songsforteaching.com/cathybollinger/itstimetocleanup.htm

Art Songs

I have been looking for music about art for some time. I think I may have found it. It was recommended by Mini Matisse (a fantastic art teacher blog, I might add). Check out Songs in the Key of Art! Its on my wish list for right now until that full-time pay starts coming in.

Totally Jealous of this classroom!

One of the schools I will be teaching at, I do not have a classroom. So, I will be teaching in the cafeteria. Bummer! So, this made me very jealous. I will continue to look for blog entries from teachers who do art on a cart for organizational tips. Wish me luck!

http://www.artismessy.org/?p=528

From Art is Messy Blog:

I like to give my kids access to most of my art materials. In order to do this, I organize the supplies into three cubby areas: collage and sculpture, drawing and paper and finally printmaking and paint. I find that it helps to organize the room this way because always know where to look for the materials that they need.

In addition to the different material sections, I keep other supplies like pencils, sharpies, erasers, crayons, markers and colored pencils in different areas throughout my room. I like to have my materials in different areas because I feel it helps those kids who have difficulty sitting still. It gives their movement justification.

I also create bulletin boards for each grade level I teach. I put examples of the artwork that we have studied so the kids can look at it during different points of the project. I also try to include art vocabulary on these boards as well.