September 15: Classroom Management

Within the past month of student teaching at Lakeview Elementary in Solon, I have adopted a word that I feel could be the most essential rule to a positive teaching/learning experience. That rule is respect-- students and teachers must be respectful to others, to the classroom, to materials and supplies, and finally, to art produced. At the beginning of the semester I thought the phrase "show respect" was redundant and overused, tossed around like a hot potato. I was delightfully proved wrong. It is a phrase that is overused so often that most forget the meaning. While rules were being established by my cooperating teacher, students were asked to thoughtfully reply to "how do you show respect?". Hypothetical scenarios were tossed while true, continuous thought was provoked. Students that act out of line or deliberately paint glue on the tabletop are asked, "are you being respectful to the table?" I have realized the easiest way to maintain the integrity of new supplies is to personify their existence. By giving an eraser a feeling, students are able to understand the golden rule as it applies not only to people and animals, but supplies and things. "Now class, do you think this eraser with pencil marks and holes was respected last year?" I don't know whether personifying objects in a secondary art room would be appropriate--students may begin to think you're crazy--but the idea remains the same. Show respect to all-- including every thing.