The hustle and bustle of a new school year can get overwhelming. You have a curriculum to plan, meetings to attend, and supplies to organize. You must also teach students routines, procedures, and rules for the art room. Because we have so many classes, the repetitive nature of this can grow tiresome. That’s why making expectations with your students is more powerful and sustainable.
Create art room rules and expectations with your students for an empowering way to build community and culture.
Allowing students to take ownership over their environment shows them you value their thoughts. In the book The Classroom of Choice: Giving Students What They Need and Getting What You Want, author Jonathan Erwin says, “One of the most effective and practical ways teachers can give students a say in the classroom is by allowing them to participate in developing the classroom rules or behavior guidelines.” Teachers value leadership that considers their ideas and opinions when creating building norms or making changes in the school environment. So, you can see how this would work well with students, too!
Let’s investigate three benefits to creating classroom expectations with your students.
1. Your students will feel valued.
It’s the norm for schools to tell students what to do or how to think. Erwin supports this statement by writing, “In academic classes, students are told how to behave, what to learn, when and how to learn it, and they are assessed in ways that may not take into account the diverse intelligences that exist in every student population.”
Giving students a say will allow them to feel valued. They are more likely to follow the classroom expectations as they contribute to the classroom expectations. They will also use their critical thinking skills as they develop ideas to share with the class. It is beneficial to have student investment to promote a positive and respectful learning environment.
2. Your students will understand the power of collaboration.
Getting students to collaborate on the first day is a great way to show how much you value students working together. As the teacher, you are also modeling collaboration by getting students involved in developing classroom expectations. Instead of the usual “sit and get” structure, you provide your students with a meaningful and interactive learning experience.
3. Your students will have a clear understanding of the expectations.
Having students directly involved in creating classroom expectations leaves less room for confusion. When students are directly involved in the process, they comprehend everything better. Students won’t just be listening to you explain the expectations; they will be direct participants, brainstorming, discussing, and refining!
Generate rules and expectations with your students through three simple activities.
1. Hold a group discussion.
Group discussions are good for younger elementary students who usually can’t write well independently. Give prompts about art room rules you had in the past and ask for additional suggestions. For older students, ask questions to guide the discussion and invite their input. For example, respect is a typical rule in most classes. Ask students why it is important to be respectful in art class and what respectful behavior looks like in art class.
2. Create web charts or mind maps.
To get even more collaborative, allow your students to work and brainstorm together. Split your students into groups and give them a large piece of paper or dry-erase surfaces. Show your students how to create a web chart or mind map. Label the center circle Art Room Rules. Add lines radiating from the center circle to other circles. These secondary circles will house what they think are good art room rules. For example, they may write, Use supplies correctly. Alternatively, assign each table or group a concept to base their rules on. As students share ideas with the class, record common themes on the board for a final compilation.
For different areas or concepts to base rules on, check out the Teaching Routines and Procedures Pack in PRO Learning. There are modules on different areas, such as cleanup, behavior, and specific materials. This is a great Pack for you to establish a solid foundation to supplement your discussion questions. It also covers valuable troubleshooting strategies for when a routine seems to be failing or going off track.
For more information on how to get PRO Learning for you and your district, reach out to our team today!
3. Conduct a collaborative sticky note activity.
This activity is great for older students who can handle more movement and independent work. Start with a brief discussion about the importance of art room rules and expectations. Write any main expectations your students bring up on the board. Create a sticky note for each broad expectation. These can be concepts like Respect, Kindness, or Hard Work. Place each sticky note on a different table. In groups, students will write what their assigned word means and examples of what it looks like.
Hold students accountable to cultivate responsibility and ownership in the art room.
No matter how you create your art room rules and expectations, it’s important to make a visual or document for your students. This will give you and your students a reference and a reminder. It can be a large poster, a short verbal pledge similar to a mantra to kick off each class, or an individual contract. If you don’t have time to create your own contract, there are a few options to download in FLEX Curriculum, like the Art Room Agreement for K-2 or grades 3-5, or the Class Contract for grades 6-12.
For more information on how to get FLEX Curriculum for you and your district, reach out to our team today!
Taking time to compile art room rules with your students not only builds connection and community, but it also gives students purpose. When students take an active role in establishing expectations, they’re more likely to follow them. This collaborative process kicks off the year, showing students the importance of communication and teamwork in the art room. It also empowers student voice, which will transcend to their artwork later on. There’s no better way to welcome future artists than by inviting them to create their own studio!
What do you do on the first day regarding classroom expectations?
What other benefits are there to creating shared classroom expectations with students?
To chat about art room rules and expectations with other art teachers, join us in The Art of Ed Community!
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
