I changed things around a lot today and what a vast improvement over the last two months! This morning, I made a basic seating chart and had it copied 21 times (did you know that I teach 21 classes/week - 6 classes/day?). I will implement the seating chart as I have the classes. That way I can see who gets along well at each place they choose and make changes as necessary (oh no! the students didn't like that thought. Oh well, lol!).
Even though I hadn't planned to have seating charts/assigned seats at the beginning of the year, it'll be especially helpful in learning the students' names! I wanted art to be more "friendly," but after thinking about it, it makes a lot of sense to have assigned seats. I used this plan in all of my classes today. In one of the second grade classes I moved two students immediately upon them acting up (no second chances). It was truly amazing how well everything went after that, lol! I try to be too nice sometimes. It just ends up making me frazzled, wastes time, and leads to the students not getting as much out of the lessons as they could.
To aid in less distractions and crazy, unnecessary transitions, I moved the tables and spread them out. Now, instead of coming in and sitting at the front (where they tend to squish each other, wrestle, etc. from time to time), they immediately go to where they will be sitting for the class. I then used my new attention hand signal with them and most of them got it immediately, nice! We had our lesson, the students were spread out and had plenty of space, and I was able to stand in front of them and wander as needed.
When they sat on the floor, most of the time I was standing behind them. For whatever reason, if students can't see you, then they think that you can't see them, even the sixth graders! I kept reminding them that I could still see them and still hear them, even when they couldn't see me, but it took up so much time to say this and have them constantly forgetting that they were still visible to me. Being in front is much more convenient and the students responded well!
Lastly, I quizzed them once they were lined up to go and they did amazingly well. I really like that idea! (One of the fourth grade teachers shared the idea.) The quiz is about what they learned during that class. Today's questions were:
Class (day 1)
1. What countries/cultures use clay? (pretty much all of them) Name three.
2. Where does clay come from? (the ground)
Class (day 2)
1. What did we make today? (pinch pot)
2. What is the first, second, and third steps to making a pinch pot. (make a ball, stick your thumb in it, pinch the sides)
By the end of the year, I'll be a pro!
