More on Managing the Art Room

Just received this email about classroom management, an issue dear to all of our hearts:


Nancy:  I don't have an art room!  I do "art on a cart" grades 1-5, but many of the strategies I use can be applied to large or small classrooms such as:

• All paper is cut ahead of time (and I use a lot of different sizes for various projects).
• Monitors (students)  pass out (and collect) most materials.
• Tempera paint is poured into divided foam trays; some can be re-used, but most are just thrown away.
• A wet-wipe (alias diaper wipes) which I cut in half to economize for most lessons, is provided at the end of the period to wipe hands and clean the tables.
• I also use paper towels (dispenser kind) cut in half, passed out at beginning, if glueing or using oil pastels, or other messy things.
• A "fold" of newspaper (about 6-8 sheets) is used for clay projects--then toss.
• Watercolor pans:  I I take them out of the box to save space and washing of those awkward boxes, and just pass out the "strip" of color pans.
• If the project only involves a few (3 or 4) colors, I put those colors on the lids of yogurt cartons and pass them out that way.  I keep a whole tray full of these ready for use.  I also wet the pans ahead of time with a spray bottle of water.
• A sheet of 18" x 24" newsprint (plain) or a sheet of newspaper would work, ("keep the table clean paper" we call it) is put down at each place. Fold twice and throw away at end of lesson.
• NO ONE get out of seat during lesson  (except monitors, as necessary).
• I have made drying racks out of empty cartons, sprayed to eliminate advertising, I have a pattern for this if interested; they are lightweight and I take them back to my workroom to dry and press (I find lots of projects need an overnight under a weight(pkgs of paper) to be nice and flat for mounting
• I mount ALL projects before they go back to the teacher (I do this while TV is on at home").
• I wash brushes after classes.
• Glueing:  Monitors give out a half paper towel and a round toothpick to each student (or one to two students) and I pour a small puddle of glue on each towel. Students use toothpicks to apply glue.  Greatly superior to having to fill glue bottles.
• Watercolor: if doing a wash, I wet the paper in the sink before taking it to class (keep it in a shallow tray).  I previously used a spray bottle; this works much better and is much less time-consuming

Hope you can use some of this.  It is not very organized, and I have a million of these!


Maureen maureen654@aol.com


Maureen, thanks for sharing! You have given me some new ideas to try! I'm of the "stay in your seat"
school, as well.