Search results matching tags 'art' and 'classroom management'

we are on a roll

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:18:16 GMT

Last year I felt frustrated about my low increase in scores on vocabulary, so I started making vocabulary cards, using Google Images. (I make two for each word, so that they get used to seeing different images of the same thing for each word.) So far this year we have introduced one vocabulary word each day. Some of our words so far: dolphin, sea horse, zebra, snake….This month we are learning about Fall (and Firefighters), so our words have been leaves, fall, and autumn (the photos for fall and autumn were identical, as they mean the same thing). We will soon be learning apple, acorn, pumpkin, and scarecrow.

The kids love the cards, and are proud to show off the words they know. (I mentioned that 16 of my 20 kids speak English as a second language, right?) In addition to the vocabulary words, we have been learning the colors, with one color celebrated each week. This week was yellow week, and on the Wednesday of each color week, we all wear the special color. I looked fetching in my husband’s oversized yellow polo shirt. I looked particularly fashionable when I topped it off with a crazy yellow crown I made at morning meeting, to inspire the kids to choose the art center today. It worked — pretty soon the room was full of kids with crazy yellow crowns.

So, we know new vocabulary words, and we all know red, blue, and yellow. What else? Well, last week we started learning a letter of the week (I know, I know, many people don’t do that), and so far we know the names and letter sounds for Ss and Oo. The kids practically fizz with excitement about showing me how they know the letter sounds, using the hand motions I taught them.

And the mornings are going smoothly; they know how to listen, how to follow directions, how to take turns, how to clean up, how to line up, and so on. They don’t always do those things perfectly, but they are lovely little citizens all the same.

Phew! One month in, things are looking up. I’m so glad I’m here, and not back there.

Creative Ways to Display Artwork in the Classroom

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 04:53:00 GMT

Give their artwork presence and poise!

Hook and Eye Artwork Displays

Clip your preschool art in the classroom neatly on a wire with this Star Art Cable System ($39 at potterybarnkids.com). Or, string a line of picture wire between two nails and clip art pieces with mini clothes pins to hold artwork in place.

On a tight budget? Get the same effect with twine, hook and eye screws and clothes pins! Love it for the classroom with creative preschoolers that keep the artwork coming! Sometimes we even use it as a vertical drying rack!

Cluster Artwork Displays

Got art in all different sizes? Try mounting them on colored construction paper and overlapping them for a clustered effect.
To avoid a cluttered look be sure to mount all artwork flush and level to the wall
When you matte the pieces, be sure to use colors complimentary to the artwork.
It does take a bit of time but it's well worth the effort and families are sure to notice!

Portfolios

Get binders and date and save childrens artwork in plastic sleeves. These are great to bring along at parent teacher conferences!

Mural Art Displays

Murals have a great impact int the classroom! They can add so much color and life to a classroom when displayed properly. Give it a place of honor on a blank wall and mount it flush to the wall securing it with staples or tape (on the underside of the artwork).
We love to use colored masking take around the edges to create a framed look.

Framed Artwork Displays

Create a wish list for parents to donate unused light weight frames. Plastic instead of glass is the best but if we choose to hang the art work at the child's eye level we simply remove the glass.
Many art stores are willing to donate matting that is slightly flawed from custom pieces. Just ask the framing department and be sure to tell them what it's for.

Vertical Artwork Displays

How about narrow wall spaces in your classroom?
No problem. Try the same hook eye screws with colored twine but mount the children's artwork vertically as opposed to horizontally.

How about you? What creative tips could you share with us that well all could use?

Art That Promotes Socialization for Kids

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 23:44:00 GMT

Do you want a quick table art activity to set up for kids that takes virtually no time at all? We love this one because it is great open ended activity for the first day of school or anytime you want the kids to interact and spark a conversation with one another.

Table Art for Kids:
Materials Needed: Crayons (peel off the paper), a variety of flat objects (i.e. puzzle pieces, leaves, paper scraps, coffee filters, small sticks, textured paper scraps, card board shapes, etc.), length of butcher paper that will cover the table, making tape.
The Set Up: Arrange the flat objects on the table and place a length of butcher paper over the table and secure it with tape. Have peeled crayons placed in strawberry baskets (or handy container) and remove the chairs from the table. Kids will be standing during this activity.
The Procedure: Kids can freely color any areas of the table by shading with the edge of a crayon. Together they will discover what shapes are underneath while they guess by feeling it.
Socialization: Kids love to strike up conversations! This activity allows kids the freedom to share space, color as a group, and guess-a-mate what the art will look like.
We like to write down their conversations, words and discoveries directly on the paper before we display it.

What types of activities do you enjoy for a back to school activity?

How Much Does It Take To Create a Masterpeice?

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 21:11:00 GMT

Given the right set up and environment kids can create learn to focus on just about anything. What would happen if we gave them a bit more time...a few more minutes out of a busy day.
As an artist myself, I just wanted to say to the kids....
Hey, I understand....

A Life Saving Suggestion

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:09:03 GMT

The very first day that I taught my elementary class was probably the worst 40 minutes of my teaching career. There were five behavioral students, all about third grade or so. When they walked in, I really thought that they would sit still while I went over rules and expectations. Boy, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Within five minutes they were out of their chairs, running around, going through my drawers, asking (yelling) “When are we gonna do art!?” So I abandoned my “plan” and scrambled to get them back in their seats. I shoved some salt dough in front of each of them, and tried to explain what I wanted them to do. Unfortunately, I had prepared the dough wrong, and it stuck like taffy to their little fingers. One boy started crying and screaming “Get it off! Get it off!” The assistant, who was looking at me like I was an idiot, shook her head and took the boy to the bathroom to clean up. I couldn’t even organize the other four kids at the sink without one of them trying to wipe dough on another boy’s back. When I say it was a disaster, it really was a disaster. The worst part of all was that there was still about thirty minutes left until I got to send them back to their classroom (where their teacher, I assumed, must have had magical powers.) So we played Simon Says. We played Duck Duck Goose. We played Simon Says again. Finally, the bell rang and the kids ran hitting and screaming into the hallway and back to their classroom. Clearly, I had to make some changes.

I was completely overwhelmed, and I knew I needed help. Aside from completely revamping how I ran operations during a lesson, I asked my principal for some ideas on what to do if I had extra time at the end of the period. Her advice was “Bin Activities”, and for the rest of the year, Bin Activities were my savior. I went to the dollar store that very same day, purchased eight colorful bins, and plenty of activities to fill them with. I tried to keep most of them somewhat art related, but almost anything works. Coloring books, Memory, white boards and markers, magnetic blocks, play dough, you get the idea. The very next day, I told the kids that when they finished their project, they would be allowed to select one bin activity to play with until the end of the period. They would have to play nicely at their desk, and if they wanted a different bin, they had to clean up the first one. I switched out the activities in the bins fairly often, so that there was always something new and exciting to keep them occupied. I couldn’t believe it, but it worked! Bin activities saved me, hopefully they can help you too.

thinking ahead to valentine’s day

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:41:00 GMT

I missed another day of school today. Yesterday when I got home from church and teaching Sunday School I was so tired I wanted to cry. Instead I took yet another nap, and decided to call in sick for today. At the doctor, I read “Family Fun” magazine and found this fun candy necklace project. I am still not sure if we’ll be able to pull it off at our Valentine’s Day party, but I’m thinking about it. Here’s the link.

(Oh, the doctor told me that I’m probably having an allergic reaction to the virus I caught a week and a half ago! Isn’t that odd — you can be allergic to a virus? It’s not enough for the virus to make you sick, you can have an allergic reaction on top of everything else?! Here’s hoping the Claritin works and I start feeling better, finally.)

little mysteries

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:02:08 GMT

Lola went to art today, on Black Day, to draw pictures with white crayon on black paper. I had stencils for city buildings with window cutouts, so she made a lovely picture with lots of buildings. Then she cut it into lots of small pieces.

Was this frustration? Boredom? The joy of cutting paper? I have no idea. I can’t speak Spanish and she can’t speak English. I wished I had the time to get an interpreter, but this was right after David had been carried from the room and kicked Alice in the head on the way out, and I just couldn’t take the time.

Speaking of Alice (named for Alice the Fairy), she said, “hey, he kicked me!” and then continued making her night time picture. When it was clean up time I found her at the sink washing glue off her hands and then saw that at her place at the art table there was a huge puddle of white glue.

So Alice, who too had made a lovely night-time city picture, not only also took scissors and cut it up, but she then took glue and poured it all over her picture. And the table.

I had her dry her hands, then had her clean the table, and then modeled with scrap paper how to use the glue with just little dots (she speaks some English, but I said “Chiquita!” and hoped that made sense). I may have called myself a good teacher in my last post, but at this point in the morning I was unable to keep the exasperation out of my voice.

I wish I had been at the art table with the girls to watch them make their pictures, and to help them, and talk to them.

Instead I was doing assessments to get ready for conferences. With the David chaos I’m a week behind, at least.

Note to self: when things calm down, hang out at art with Lola and Alice.