"Snow Day" in Houston!

January 24, 2014--

Well, today, at around 5am, we get notification from our school district that there is officially no school today!  So, not only does this mean we get a three day weekend, but, we also had a three day work week since we had Monday off as well for Martin Luther King Day.  I have to say, it's a nice vacation, but sure throws a wrench in planning for art lessons!  My first project, which should have all been completed this week, will now carry through to next week in about 15 of my 30 classes.  Sadly, they are mixed grade levels as well, so it's going to be fun trying to coordinate it all.  Learning experience for me again.  Coming from a middle school situation, I have always been able to throw one day lessons in, in order to survive pep rally schedules, concerts or various testing days.  That way, we could all be on the same page throughout my grade levels or art levels.  Regardless, we will make this work out.  I am positive of it.

Well, today, I'll talk about my classroom management system.  I have always wanted to have a fabulous management system that the kids will love.  At middle school, they don't love classroom management systems like the teachers wish they did.  Here, I have anxious faces coming in to see the weekly progress of the rest of their friends in their classes.

So, this is how my bulletin board starts out.  On the left, every class is a paintbrush.  I painted the bristles with acrylic paint and let them dry.  Each grade level is a specific color.  For example, 5th grade is red.  I see them first thing each morning.  In the center are the rules I focus on, being rules that relate to A R and T.  On the right, "Mona Lisa" listening behavior and the star chart (which is just a weekly review of who got what during the week.  Three constant reminders of behavior for the class to see.  I don't do stars on the chart until the end of the week when I can sit down and focus.

 

These are my Golden Paintbrushes.  I taped up the silver part with acrylic tape, spray painted them gold, smeared glue on them and sprinkled the heck out of gold glitter on them!  Who wouldn't want a golden paintbrush, right?!  Then, on the back, I sprayed them with silver spray paint--no glitter.  It is when they are silver, that they are "tarnished".  I used a label maker to then put all the teacher's names on the paint brushes with their grade level.  The days of the week are posted on paint samples from my local hardware store.

(Sorry the photo is so crummy).... When a class stays golden, I simply leave it there for all to see.  When I have to give numerous warnings, it changes to "tarnished" or silver.  The brushes are attached to my bulletin board with T pins so they are easy enough for me to switch, but more difficult and obvious if a kiddo tries to switch them "for me".  If they are on silver, they DO have the opportunity to earn golden back by showing me good behavior for the rest of the classtime.  However, if behavior does not improve, the brush goes "GONE"!  I have a paint can, complete with paint splatters all over it compliments of my friend and artist, Dan Dunn (youtube him, I promise you and your kids will fall in love with what he does!!!) hanging next to my bulletin board.  The brush will go GONE and be put into the bucket if behavior doesn't improve.  I decided yesterday that the classroom teachers needed a written report from me so I made the Art Room Behavior Brush Report.  I simply have on it Gold, Silver, Gone which I can circle quickly.  I put the teacher name in the handle and any notes in the bristle part of it (student names who need discussions with, students who had to be moved, or simply "fabulous day".  Something QUICK and easy and can be done during the duration of class time.  I am hoping that not only the visual reminder of the brushes on my board will help with behavior, but also the idea that their regular classroom teachers get the report too. 
The brushes, for all classes, no matter the behavior are shown for the week.  At the end of the week, the classes who remained golden get a star on the chart below Mona Lisa.  This way, I can remember what they got the previous week easily, and so can they.

I hope that it's something that works.  The kids LOVE the golden paintbrushes!  And I hear throughout the class time, "we are gonna end up on silver if you keep yelling!  or not sharing, or whatever the case might be!"  I love what it adds to my classroom!