I included an Erin Grunwell quote about community on the very first page of my teaching portfolio when I created it two years ago. Helping my community is why I wanted to be a teacher in the first place. About four years ago I decided I needed to do something to impact my community in a positive manner and what better way to do that than to be a role model for kids and help them learn and grow? However, we don't teach in a vacuum. We need families, peers, admin and community members to all work together to give young people the best learning environment possible. But first, we start with the classroom.
Classroom Environment
In education we often hear teachers say they want their classroom to be a safe space. But what does this look like, sound like and feel like? For me a safe classroom is one that is well-organized and has established routines covering everything from how students enter the classroom, how they gather supplies and how they exit the classroom. I want students to have calm minds and bodies when they enter the studio space. My plan is to have them enter the classroom to calm music, sit at their seats, and either work on a sketchbook prompt or wait quietly for instruction depending on the age group. My classroom will be organized and everything will have a label with QR codes linking to videos on how to clean up and where things are located. As to the question of what the classroom looks like, sounds like and feels like, I will get input from the students and each class will have a poster with our classroom community agreement. Non negotiables for me are cursing, insults, physical violence, safety violations, and excluding others. These expectations will be made clear from the first day and I will model my classroom management based on the school behavior matrix. For example, the school where I am currently student teaching uses P.R.I.D.E. to guide student behavior and use positive reinforcement in the form of P.R.I.D.E. tickets for students who make good choices.
By referring to the behavior matrix I can use the common language of the school so all of the students are on the same page.
Safety
The K-12 art room should not use any hazardous chemicals or solvents, but safety is still a concern. Younger students do not need to have access to materials such as exacto knives and spray paint, but older students may check out these materials on a one-on-one basis. At the high school level students may have access to torches or woodworking machines and these items will require a safety test as well as a parental permission form before a student is allowed to use them. Eye protection is crucial when cutting wood and metal and dust masks will be required for processes such as enameling and plaster carving. For clay, metals and printmaking, closed toed shoes are also a requirement.
Building Community
My plan for building a school community is to invite staff and administration to participate in a project such as circle art where small art pieces make a larger whole and "skill" is not a factor. I want to have student art visible in the hallways and with permission, murals from my students on the walls. I welcome parent volunteers as well as family and community member guests who would like to share stories or an art technique with my classes. My plan is to have an annual art event where families of the students are invited to participate in a fun art activity where everyone brings food and suggestions for music. I will also have a community service requirement as part as my curriculum and this can be anything from making cards for those in assisted living to care package bags for the animal shelter. To be a good citizen is to help your community and I think this is an important concept for students to learn and hopefully continue long after they leave school.
Social Emotional Learning
I am a proponent of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the classroom because this strategy helps me address the emotional needs of my students and to teach them how to regulate their emotions, a task that does not come easy for many students. The guiding principles of SEL are this:
By helping empowering students to work through their range of emotions in a positive manner I can keep my classroom a safe and welcoming environment for all.
Differentiation
"Fair isn't equal. Fair is when everyone gets what they need."
Source: www.joebowers.org
It is important to me that all students feel welcome and are valued for the unique perspectives they bring to the classroom. Because my classroom will provide a student-centered approach under the framework of themes and big ideas I can provide students the flexibility to approach a project in different ways. For example, I could have a theme of architecture, but students could choose how to approach this. They could do a drawing, make a film, build a structure, etc. By differentiating the product I can provide extra support for students who need this and provide room for students to extend their learning.