K-8 Art Tip: Time Management

by Elizabeth Van Allen for scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

On stage in my classroom I may appear a little crazy, but behind the scenes my project planning is all no-nonsense.  When I made the shift from only teaching middle school to a K-8 format, I started seeing 26 different classes in 9 grade levels each week.  I realized that I was drowning in work when getting kicked out of my classroom by the custodians every night became part of my regular routine.  Streamlining my daily time management quickly rose to #1 on my priorities list.  Not knowing where to start, I called on one of my district's secret weapons.  Enter Emilee Taylor, a seasoned teacher and art teacher support specialist, with some great advice.  

The answer was simple: teach the same project to 2 grade levels simultaneously.  It makes way more sense to teach 5 projects at a time than 9, and the amount of time I spend preparing supplies has been drastically reduced. I can even go a little further and plan back-to-back periods with projects that use the same supplies!  I still re-use lessons, but instead of recycling them annually I use a two year rotation. 

What easy art teaching time and energy saving hints do you have?

Don't keep us in the dark, 

share with the class by leaving a comment!

DIY: Binder Privacy Dividers

This trick works really well for
IEP's, health info and grades!

by Elizabeth Van Allen  for scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

When I figured out this easy trick to keep binder sections private I honestly face-palmed.  Maybe it's obvious to others, but to me this was a revelation.  You'll never have to worry about accidentally sharing the confidential information in your binder again!

The Issue: I'm obligated to have confidential information like emergency plans for student seizures immediately accessible, but they also must stay private. 

The Solution: Use a file folder to create an easy-access privacy divider!

Quick & Easy Directions:

1. Get a standard-sized file folder. 

2. Open the folder.  Cut off the tab on one edge.  Trim approximately 1/2" or 1.5cm from the opposite edge (the area with the tab cut-away). The 2 halves of the folder should NOT be equal.

3. 3-hole punch the wider half of your folder.  Make sure that you center the punch along the edge, folders are taller than standard paper.

4. Insert the folder hole-punched side down in your binder so that it opens backwards.  Unfold your new privacy divider, insert confidential info into the binder, and close the folder over your documents (scroll up to the first picture to see two finished product).  The privacy divider can easily be kept closed using a paper clip or two!

What easy ways have you found to solve your everyday organizational problems?

Share with us by leaving a comment!

If you liked this organizational tip, 
check out my ideas on labeling systems, organizing paperwork, and favorite problem-solving items!

Behavioral Incentive or Straight-Up Bribe?

by Elizabeth Van Allen  for scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

Have you ever noticed how much stuff seems to magically appear as soon as you start 

Elementary Incentives Box

packing for a move? 
Like the set of broken tray tables that I could have sworn I threw out years ago.  Or the beadazzler that I purchased to beadazzle a sports jersey as a joke for my brother-in-law, but never quite got around to.  In preparation for my move to Florida, I'm purging a ton of stuff from both my house and my art studio.  I have sketchbooks and games and journals and fabric and art books and canvases... it can get a little overwhelming!  This is where being an art teacher on the verge of leaving her position comes in handy.  

Middle School Incentives Box

How do you ensure good student behavior in the last few days before leaving your school for good?  Through behavioral incentives, of course!  I put together two boxes of amazing treasures from my studio and house, unused items that would appeal to elementary and middle schoolers.  During the last week of my time teaching in Philadelphia, I'm giving students chances at winning their choice from their incentive box.  All students get one chance automatically, and the better a student's behavior, the more chances they get.  Every class will have a winner, maybe even two!

Is it a bribe?  Maybe... but I'm ok with that.  As far as I'm concerned, it's a win-win situation.  Students win by getting chances to win an awesome prize, and I win by having great student behavior and getting rid of all that extra stuff in the process! 

What creative solutions have you used to find new homes for your extra and unwanted goodies?

Share your ideas with us 

by posting a comment below!

I'm bringing calmness back.

by Elizabeth Van Allen

scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

Finding my happy place before a flight.

Time is short and kids can act crazy, so it's easy to get thrown off your game if you don't have a plan B in the classroom.  It doesn't hurt to also have plans C, D, and E waiting in the wings in case of emergency.  Every day a teacher's time management has to be on point 100% of the time.  Schedules can shift and change at a moment's notice, and let's face it- not every class goes according to plan every time.  It's way too easy to let your personal stressers travel with you from class to class, then follow you home as if you actually want them there. 

We always have back-up plans ready to go in the classroom, but what about your "real" life?  When things go sideways and unexpected stress hits, do you have anything in place to keep your mind centered?  I've put together four quick go-to fixes that just might bring some calm back into your life.  Hopefully you'll be a little more prepared when the next "life storm" hits!

Quick fixes for the suddenly stressed:

http://www.wikihow.com/Breathe

1. Breathe deeply with your mouth closed, especially if you are starting to panic.  Research has shown that you can't hyperventilate when breathing through your nose.  Slowly take the breath in through the nose until it completely inflates your chest, stomach and back over a slow 4-count (minimum).  Let it out slowly, taking the same amount of time -or slightly longer- to release the breath.  Continue to exhale until you are pushing the last of it out with your diaphragm.  Repeat a few more times.

2. Take a brief stretch break. Extend your arms and your gaze all the way up.  Reach towards the ceiling/sky with not only your hands and arms, but your sides and waist too.  At the same time, root down through the earth with your shoulders, legs, and feet.  Reach up a little higher with alternating hands to really stretch your sides and triceps.  Then hinge at the hips and, with control, reach out and sweep your hands down towards the floor.  Bend your knees one at a time, stretching through your standing leg and hip before you switch.  Be careful not to lock or hyper-extend you knees, and don't forget to breathe! 

https://greenifytoday.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/move-it-
monday-try-these-3-great-morning-stretches/comment-page-1/

http://boards.philadelphiaeagles.com/topic
/700105-week-4-patriots-chiefs/

3. Grab a crayon and scribble.  If it sounds silly, that's because it is.  Take one of those big, made-for-toddlers crayons and hold it in your fist.  Now scribble your heart out.  Get all that frustration out on the paper, then crumple it up and throw it away.  It's kind of like punching a pillow, only a little (ok, a lot) less obvious to others.

4. Be fully present in the moment and truly enjoy a sensory experience.  It could be the warmth and scent of a cup of tea, the taste and texture of your lunchtime sandwich, or even just feeling the sensation of running water as you take an extra minute to wash your hands.  Really indulge yourself in the simple pleasures that smell, taste, touch, sound and sight have to offer.

I recently tried jackfruit for the first time (pictured above).  Instead of immediately judging whether or not I liked it, I tried to be fully present while attempting to describe my sensory experience more objectively to a captive lunchtime audience. (Thanks Mom & Kat!)  It was a really interesting way to try something new.

What stress-reducing quick fixes have worked for you?

Positively 90's!

This idea was appropriated
from Lynn Bailey, an art
 teacher in inner city Chicago. 

by Elizabeth Van Allen 

scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

"Call my crib, yo."  I hear this ridiculously dated phrase (usually in a mocking or sarcastic tone) at least once a year during every class I teach.  This normally happens when the first lucky student sees the obnoxiously bright pink sign on an obnoxiously bright pink basket that holds my secret weapon.  I use that opportunity to be loudly exclaim my delight at their discovery... the call my crib slip.  I wish I could take credit for this brilliant idea, but I got it from another inner city art teacher.  During the 2007 NAEA conference in NYC I attended a session by Lynn Bailey called Survival Tips for New Inner-City Teachers.  The information packet she distributed was phenomenal, and it included a slip called Call My Crib.  Although I rolled my eyes at the time, she was really on to something!

The whole idea is that every student has an open invitation to be recognized in a positive way.  He or she picks up a slip from the designated basket, fills it out, and hands it to you.  They get a positive phone call home within 24 hours and everyone is happy.  I can not tell you the number of times that a parent or guardian has said "are you sure you got the right kid?"  That's my favorite part.

This is how I get all the 'good' numbers.

Believe it or not, this works better than candy!

  In my school's population, contact numbers change fast.  If a student is injured or in trouble it can sometimes be really difficult to get in contact with their guardian.  The students who are in trouble the most tend to be the ones who really want me to 'call their crib' and deliver some positive news.  This means that I usually have the most up-to-date numbers and the easiest time contacting home.  Plus I develop a good rapport with those parents, resulting in a better response when I call home for a less positive reason.

Word spreads fast. Once I prove that my word is good I develop stronger and more positive relationship with my students.  They want to do well because they know I'll communicate their successes to the right people.  Also, they tell their friends.  Once word spreads my life gets a lot easier.

Positive reinforcement makes a day more enjoyable for everyone involved... especially you.  Try making a positive phone call at the end of a really stressful day, it's like taking a pain killer for a headache.  The rest of your day will feel much, much smoother.

What creative tools do you utilize to form positive relationships with your students and their parents?

Uncommonly Common Sense

by Elizabeth Van Allen

for scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com/

I've found in the past few years that common sense isn't nearly as common as one might think.  A while ago I found a graphic posted online that seemed to embody the concept of common sense when applied to life as a whole.  I know- common sense online...  who would have thought? This post stuck in my mind so tenaciously that I drew a flow chart to illustrate.  Please feel free to use this chart liberally, there's always room for improvement!

Disclaimer: I don't remember where I found the original image, it was probably on imgur.  If you do see the original, please send me the link so I can reference it here!