The Art Room

A few pictures of my classroom for this year.  It took me quite a while to decide on my door.  I had finally decided on a design when my BFF the music teacher who is right next door to me totally stepped it up!  Wish I had pics of her door...I will get some and add them later, but she totally ROCKED the Deck your Door challenge!  I had to rethink my design totally and come up with something just as awesome! So....This is what I came up with.  Our theme is 

Growing Greatness....Whatever it Takes!

Not super excited about this board, but I will add to it as the year goes along.

The Gallery Board.  Last year I had frames on a black background and it took up the entire wall to the floor.  But this year I had to reduce the size to accommodate my drying racks.  So this is my compromise...Only students that get complemented by other students on their excellent work get on The Gallery Wall.  Makes them feel very special.  What they don't realize is I hang EVERYONE'S artwork in the hallway, all 800.  But there is something special in a child's mind about The Gallery Wall.

This brick wall and I have a love/hate relationship.  I love that I have an "accent" wall.  Something different to break up the boring white walls, but getting ANYTHING to stick to this wall is impossible.  It is weird brick,  it has this "grit" all over the wall.  Ticky Tack is no match for this monster wall!  BUT! I have discovered its Kryptonite...Hot Glue!  Shhhhhhhhh!  Don't tell Facility Services/Maintenance!  I also had to use 3M outdoor double sided tape to mount that white board to the wall.  

We use the C.H.A.M.P.S.  behavior management in our district so we have to have the Champs posted in the room.  You are supposed to move tabs up and down the board to let the students know what the expectation.  Instead of listing every expectation I do it all in one word...well two words...I use the Mona Lisa approach.  I say Mona and the students say Lisa.  We go over the first day of Art Class the expectation of Mona Lisa.  Mona sits with her 

1.  Noises off (Conversation - C)

2.  Body is still (Movement - M)

3.  Eyes are on the Speaker - (Activity - A)

4.  Hands are in their lap (Participation - P)

H and S are a given.  Students are listening to instruction and success is the end product in all Art Projects.