5 classes a day, 25 classes a week, roughly 660 kids in my room every week... This causes a bit of a organization disaster. I have turned into a freak about some things. I have a tool box for each table, the tool boxes have 4 sharpie markers, 4 pencils, crayons, and 2 erasers. I hate when markers, colored pencils, oil pastels... what ever else get into the tool boxes. For one of the projects I did recently, I asked students to use a thin sharpie marker. I knew this was going to get mixed in with the tool boxes and some K was going to use it when they were asked to use a large marker... Uhg! So here is my solution. When they needed a marker they had to come to the front of the room and take off a shoe. They were welcome to take their shoe back when they give me back their marker (in the right place). The kids think it is funny and I make a big deal of their smelly feet. It makes for a fun art day and I am happy when they leave because my tools are where I wanted them to be (most of the time:)).
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Give me your shoes...
5 classes a day, 25 classes a week, roughly 660 kids in my room every week... This causes a bit of a organization disaster. I have turned into a freak about some things. I have a tool box for each table, the tool boxes have 4 sharpie markers, 4 pencils, crayons, and 2 erasers. I hate when markers, colored pencils, oil pastels... what ever else get into the tool boxes. For one of the projects I did recently, I asked students to use a thin sharpie marker. I knew this was going to get mixed in with the tool boxes and some K was going to use it when they were asked to use a large marker... Uhg! So here is my solution. When they needed a marker they had to come to the front of the room and take off a shoe. They were welcome to take their shoe back when they give me back their marker (in the right place). The kids think it is funny and I make a big deal of their smelly feet. It makes for a fun art day and I am happy when they leave because my tools are where I wanted them to be (most of the time:)).
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that is awesome - just like going to the bowling alley!
ReplyDeleteYou are a brave art teacher! LOL
ReplyDeleteI hate the very same thing! I see about 700 a week and it's the little things that makes a lesson go smoothly. Oil pastels in the crayons or even a marker with the wrong color lid will cause art room chaos! Only another art teacher understands...it's not being picky, it being professional:-)
Cool solution to your thorn:-)
We pile up shoes sometimes for some really fun contour line drawings. Only thing is, I always make sure it's not fire drill season when I have kids without their shoes! I'm sure you must do the same thing. You don't want the class hopping out the door for the fire drill. At least in my school, I know administration wouldn't look kindly on me.
ReplyDeleteThe only issue I'd have with that (and my principal), is what to do when you have a fire drill - all those bare feet and shoes piled in front!
ReplyDeleteHey, congrats on also having over 100 followers! Pretty cool, huh? How did this all happen so fast? I love your blog too!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! I do this when students forget their pencil and need to borrow one. I always get my pencils back
ReplyDeleteMust be fun to be in your class. Cool idea :)
ReplyDelete