Pondering on Choice-Based

While I begin to read a new book (Engaging Learners Through Artmaking by K. Douglas & D. Jaquith) I keep thinking back to all the information I read in Choice without Chaos by Anne Bedrick. Some of the most important pieces that keep coming to mind when I'm teaching are:

Accountability, Responsibility, & Expectations

1. I believe it is important to hold students accountable for their behavior and mistakes. I think that it builds better people if we show children that there are consequences to all their actions. I felt it was an appropriate consequence that when members working in a center do not clean up their center according to the expectations that the center is then closed the following week. I think it teaches children to think about their actions and teaches them to be responsible for their working environment. This is a skill that is not only important to touch on but to develop to form responsible and accountable adults. This life skill being taught through the arts shows the capability of arts to be much more than 'busy, cute work.'

2. When the expectations are clear and the students are held responsible for those expectations the classroom should function much smoother. When students know what is expected of them it begins to break down the stress that comes with developing new ideas as an artist. The same goes for the room organization, when students know where everything is and where it goes from memory, they spend less time fidling with other unimportant things and move straight to their target materials/center.In Choice without Chaos Bedrick also discusses the importance of routine so that students already know how the classroom functions. This is the same as knowing where all the materials can be found, it comforts the student and makes the room a safe place for making.

Room Organization

I have begun to think about the way my tables should be moved and how I can make each space as user-friendly, organized and what supplies need to go in that area. One of the things that is very important is the limited sink and counter space. I always say that I wish my room was designed by another art teacher, then I might actually have more than  4 cabinets and a mini sink. Since it wasn't I'm going to be the MacGuyver of classroom space and make it work for me. I already know that painting and printmaking are going over by the sink. I have made a classroom diagram to begin drawing in centers and seeing what walkways should look like as well as what creates a 'flow' to the classroom.

Along with thinking about the layout of my classroom I am also thinking about 'share-time' space and writing space for artists statements. I think this will be important to my admin because they are shifting to a project-based learning style where all of the subjects are intermixed and if I can show them that writing is utilized in the arts then they will better understand and advocate with me for Choice-Based Learning.

That is all for now. Clearly my head is spinning with ideas and reflections. I haven't totally used this on my students but am gradually easing them into developing their own ideas and using materials of their choice [for now with restrictions to 2-3 material choices]. There are enjoying it and I finally feel as if I've found a way to learn about my students, help them develop personally relevant ideas and explore new materials along the way. I. AM. EXCITED.