INSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

What would an ideal art classroom look like? In my eyes, an art classroom should be a place for students to explore their own creative ideas. In a setting like this, classroom management seamlessly works into the everyday. Students have a routine in which they gather materials, they work, and then they clean up. In situations like this, most of the time students are engaged because they are truly working on something they are excited about. 

Developing creative thinking skills will not only allow for students to grow in their artistic practices, it will help them to be creative thinkers in the real world. This way of thinking will allow for the next generation to work towards solving the numerous and complex problems that are facing our world today. I believe that a TAB approach to teaching, allows for students to explore creative ideas freely and without limitation. I also believe that this pushes students outside of their comfort zone, it gets them asking questions, and creates an environment of learning and growing. 

Classroom environment is an important part of creating a successful classroom. This means setting expectations at the beginning of the semester, and it means following through with those expectations throughout the semester. I believe that students should be a part of creating these expectations, then the students have a voice in how the class will be formatted and organized. When behavior issues arise, I can go back to the class created expectations. 

Diversity of students and meeting the needs of each student is important to the development of a successful classroom. Each student will come into my classroom with different needs, a different background, and different experiences. In order to accommodate each student, my plans and ideas need to change based on those specific needs. If a student has a 504 or an IEP plan, I will work to understand the accommodations and modifications that the specific student needs, and create a classroom environment that works for that student. This also means building relationships with students so I can best meet their needs no matter their situation. 

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In an art classroom, there are tools and materials that require safety lessons. Safety in the art classroom depends completely on the age range of students. In kindergarten, safety may revolve around learning how to use scissors safely and correctly. In a high school, it may look like learning how to use a band saw. No matter the situation, safety should come first. Students should feel safe in the classroom, and feel confident using the materials and tools that they need. If I am working in the wood shop with students, I think it would be important to have a quiz to make sure that students are understanding the different safety protocols for using the different machines. This also makes them feel more confident and ready to use the different materials. 

All of these aspects go into creating a safe and positive classroom environment that helps everyone to learn and grow as a community. This community aspect in art education allows for the development of creative thinking skills, and pushes students to think outside of the box.