Photo collages about school expectations

View this post on Instagram

#gradesfiveandsix used #piccollage on the #ipad to create photo collages that show what our @waitsfieldschool #expectations look like in #artclass

A post shared by Nora (@artclass_allday) on Sep 3, 2019 at 11:13am PDT

Classroom Expectations... Like you've never seen them before!

Here's some inspiration for setting classroom expectations in Art Class.

Should students listen to music on their Chrome books in the Art Room?

I asked this group of fifth and sixth grade artists to problem solve our art class behavior and volume issues.  One of their suggestions was to be allowed to listen to music on their individual ChromeBooks while working.  There are obvious pros and cons to this practice and it is clearly not suited to all art lessons (i.e. splatter-painting...), but our trial run was relatively successful.  I recognize the challenge of monitoring what students are listening to and students definitely don't realize how loud their voices are when they have their headphones on.  This lesson is a focused, independent project, but being plugged in may detract from meaningful peer support and conversations around their work.

What do you think? Should students be allowed to listen to music on individual devices during art class?

Engaged, Responsible, Safe and Kind! Photo collages by grades 5 and 6

Fift and sixth graders used iPads with the PhotoCollage app to create photo collages that show what our school-wide expectations look like in the Art Room.

RESPONSIBLE

ENGAGED

KIND

SAFE

Art Room Expectations

DO NOW! (5 Min)

Please WRITE or DRAW an example of how you can be 
ENGAGED
RESPONSIBLE
SAFE
or
KIND
in Art Class!

First Challenge (5 min)

Brainstorm with your table about ways to illustrate the expectation on the card in the center of your table.

Second Challenge (15 min)

Take 2-5 photos of members of your group acting out ways to show your expectation.  
If you need props, please ask. Use the PhotoCollage app to create a photo collage of your images and add text. 
Email your photos to nmcdonough@wwsu.org with the subject line Engaged, Responsible, Safe or Kind

Third Challenge (10 min)

Share

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FINISHED PHOTO COLLAGES!

We Rock!

Students are excited about our new system of recognizing positive behaviors around our school. In art class and all other parts of the school day, a student may receive a small card if he or she is "caught in the act" of following our school-wide expectations. We are especially promoting several key student behaviors, which we have identified as essential for student success in and out of school. They are engagement, responsibility, safety and kindness.  With a little creativity, this loosely works out to the acronym WE ROCK.  In art class over the first few weeks of school, we will be discussing what this "rockstar” behavior might look like.

Being ENGAGED looks like:
listening, following directions, being focused, raising your hand, helping clean up, answering a question, looking at the speaker, doing your best, "Stop, look and listen" when you hear the bell, working hard

Being RESPONSIBLE looks like:
keeping a reasonable volume, helping clean up, taking care of art materials, respecting musical instruments, respectfully helping others remember classroom expectations

Being SAFE looks like:
moving carefully in the art room, using materials safely and appropriately, following instructions, having safe hands and bodies

Being KIND looks like:
using kind words, sharing materials and space, giving thoughtful and truthful compliments, helping a classmate, making all classmates feel welcome and valued


WHAT ELSE??  Classes will continue to add to these lists as we discuss our art room expectations and continue to earn cards toward our school-wide goals.

Art room expectations

Fifth and sixth graders chose key word or phrases from our classroom expectations to make into posters.  We used crayons, liquid watercolors and sharpies. I am excited to have these beautiful reminders decorate our art room! 

Our classroom expectations fall into four categories:

Respect yourself and others

Respect materials and surroundings

Be safe

Do your best!