Keeping students focused in the art room can be tough, as the class is usually less structured and students have more freedom during work time. However, there are methods art educators can use to give their class the best chance of working hard and behaving respectfully during art class. Read on for tips and tools for art classroom management.
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3 Art Classroom Management Goals
The art room is unique, and that is part of the reason why so many students look forward to time spent in art class. However, keeping things under control can be a struggle for some art teachers. Keep these 3 goals in mind when brainstorming your chosen classroom management methods:
Strike a Balance
Creativity is rarely silent and still, so an art classroom full of creative and inventive students is bound to be a bit noisy and chaotic. Even so, there should be a balance between chaos and a structured, quiet classroom. Some classes will need more time for cleanup and require a quieter work time.
Student-First
It’s important to remember that different groups of students work best in different environments when considering classroom management. While some classrooms will require more quiet and control, some students might benefit from or work well despite a little added noise and movement. Have you considered getting rid of chairs?
The Best for All
Another aspect to consider is the goal of finding the best learning environment for all students. In a class full of students who prefer quiet, a few may be fine with more noise. Likewise, a few students may prefer quiet in a class that predominantly handles chaos well. The goal to find the middle ground or the best learning environment for everyone can be tricky, but it is worthwhile.
3 Classroom Management Techniques
Methods for creating a focused classroom can vary across groups, but there are a few tactics teachers have used to keep things under control. Try one of these three methods with your art students:
Assign jobs:
To keep students from constantly getting up and both losing their own focus and distracting others, assign a student in each group or table the task of being the “gopher.” Only that student can leave the table to get supplies or collect the group’s portfolios.
Call their attention:
If the classroom becomes too chaotic or the sound levels are too high, call the class’s attention and wait for every student to comply. Only once you have their full attention can you give the instructions. It’s important to have patience and wait.
Give students choices:
Students feel more committed to their activities if they feel that they have some input. Give each group a set of decisions at the beginning of the class, such as who will collect the portfolios, who is the “checker” for cleanup, etc. This will help students take responsibility during class and ensure everything is cleaned up properly at the end.
Classroom Management Tools for the Art Room
There are tools art teachers can buy and use in the classroom, helping them monitor time and noise levels and giving students a visual cue to adjust their noise or begin cleaning up.
Classroom Timers
These handy tools can be high-tech or as simple as a sand timer, but they help students to recognize that it is time to transition into cleanup. Some products, like the Learning Resources Time Tracker Classroom Timer, even provide a stoplight-like visual showing how much time they have left.
Classroom Noise Level Monitors
These high-tech tools read the noise levels in a room and will let you and your students know when the sound has reached too high of a level in the classroom. Some of them even come with a built-in timer.
Tips for Starting a New Classroom Management Strategy
To get started with a new or optimized classroom management strategy, consider the students and their needs. Then start by explaining the strategy you have chosen, how they need to work within the guidelines, and how it will benefit them. Of course, over time, you can add restrictions or change the guidelines, but keeping students focused and the energy levels under control will result in a more cohesive and enjoyable art room experience.
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