Classroom Management Ideas: Using Art for a Caring Environment

Please welcome Christi of Digraphs, Decimals, Discoveries, whose post today on classroom management ideas using art will inspire you. These strategies create a caring classroom environment. Thanks for sharing, Christi!

Classroom Management Ideas Through Art

Sometimes children can’t find the right words or actions to deal with their emotions.

By giving a child a crayon and a blank sheet of paper and asking them to draw how they feel, you might be shocked at what you see.

Setting Up a Cool Down Area for Classroom Management Elementary

Set aside a designated cool down area for students in the classroom. Equip the area with:

• Blank papers, crayons, pencils, markers, colored pencils, and play dough.
• The students can sit at the table to draw or write about what happened and how they feel.
• The play dough acts as a stress-relief tool to squeeze or form into their own creation.

Benefits of Using Art for Emotional Regulation

Using art to cool down allows students to see the scenario from a different point of view.

For example, two boys in the classroom had a fight. When asked to draw what happened, they step out of the situation and become observers. This often leads to students recognizing their inappropriate behavior and understanding their role in the conflict.

Decompressing Through Art in Classroom Management Elementary

Art is an effective way to decompress.

When a student is very angry, drawing helps them focus on details and colors, calming them down. This is especially helpful for students with Asperger’s and developmental delays who might struggle to express their feelings with words.

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Steps to Implement Art in Classroom Management Ideas

1. Establish the Cool Down Area
   • Make it clear that the cool down area is a safe place, not a punishment.
2. Guide Students in Emotional Expression
   • Encourage students to recognize their warning signs of anger.
   • Help them use the art area before negative actions occur.
3. Ensure Closure Before Leaving the Art Area
   • Before leaving the art area, students should talk through their feelings with the teacher.
   • This helps them rejoin the class with a renewed sense of control.

Avoiding the Slippery Cycle of Negative Behavior

Teachers often encounter a vicious cycle of negative behavior.

By using art and the cool down area, students learn to deal with frustration constructively, preventing the cycle of misbehavior and disciplinary actions.

Positive Reinforcement and Choices in Classroom Management Elementary

Instead of focusing on what students can’t do, remind them of all the wonderful things they can do.

Provide choices like taking deep breaths, using “I feel” statements, visiting the cool down area, or listening to calm music.

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Personal Success with Classroom Management Ideas Using Art