Post: ? using desks vs. tables, and buying students' supplies...
Posted by Finishing Year One, Prepping for Year Two on 5/08/08
I teach at a small private school - 17 elementary classes
once per week, and three secondary elective classes daily.
Most classes have between 17-20 kids, whom I seat at four
tables. This works all right for elem classes, but not well
with secondary. Most of my secondary students do not like
art. They never want to do any kind of art. They elected it
because it's supposedly an easy A. =oP They talk, talk,
talk, which is fine with me as long as they talk quietly
and do some kind of art while they talk. @@ But some of
them also like to just destroy materials, make messes...
Also several elementary kids are careless with the
supplies, too - leaving caps off of markers and glue
sticks... Our principal does not want the students to have to bring
their supplies with them from their classroom. We spend so
much on a very limited budget - just buying pencils and
crayons, etc. that get horribly abused. I know it sounds
like I have poor classroom management skills, but I'm
actually extremely organized and love Harry Wong, etc. I
planned out careful rules and taught procedures, and use
consequences for abusing materials, etc. It doesn't help! I
walk around and monitor closely, but I still can't prevent
them from breaking the crayons, etc. They don't care about
the crayons. "It's just a crayon." And they don't care
about grades. And detentions don't phase them, either,
smirk smirk. I've had many days where I've sworn I won't
teach art next year! My degree is in middle school English,
Soc Stud. ANYWAY - sorry for my vent. If I do teach art next year, I
would like to use desks. Is this crazy? I'd like to arrange
them in rows, so everyone is facing the front of room, and
has their own defined work space. And I want everyone to
have and use their OWN supplies, so that if they break
things or leave caps off, I can send a note to Mom and ask
for replacements for them. And my "good kids" won't have to
endure broken, used-up supplies. =o( I'm hoping my principal will let me add a $15 "art
supplies" fee, and I can save everyone a LOT of money and
time by ordering 300 sets of supplies for elementary
students. I'm afraid she won't want me to use desks, but
it's so hard to use the same set-up with kindergartners
that I use with seniors every day. The seniors would be so
much easier to manage/teach in desks, since we study art
history, etc. as much as hands-on art. Am I just venting here? Does anyone have
thoughts/experience to share? Or would you like to join my
vent?? ;o)
Posts on this thread, including this one
? using desks vs. tables, and buying students' supplies..., 5/08/08, by Finishing Year One, Prepping for Year Two.
Re: ? using desks vs. tables, and buying students' supplies., 5/08/08, by Cherie.
Re: ? using desks vs. tables, and buying students' supplies., 5/09/08, by wadel.
Re: ? using desks vs. tables, and buying students' supplies., 5/09/08, by khric.
Re: ? using desks vs. tables, and buying students' supplies., 5/09/08, by an art teacher.
Re: ? using desks vs. tables, and buying students' supplies., 5/09/08, by Joy Jordan.
Re: ? using desks vs. tables, and buying students' supplies., 5/11/08, by dt in tn.
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