As an elementary school teacher there are many things that I do that could be lumped under the category of classroom management or school management. One of those things involves getting my students to clean up at the end of art class and then line up, either to walk down the hallway to P.E., or be picked up by their teacher to go back to class. While students are lined up, it can be one of those times when it gets noisy, when students will push and shove each other (Ok-let's be honest.....they DO that!), get upset because someone cut in front of them, etc. And, as the teacher, I might still be trying to finish up helping a straggler get cleaned up, etc.
Last week we did a Fun Friday Crazy Hair art project where the students learned about and drew the different types of lines. It is amazing how one creative moment can CREATE another creative moment. That simple, yet very fun, and informative lesson in lines led to a spontaneous moment a day or two later when I found myself with a couple extra minutes to wait for a teacher. Love it when a unique idea happens! Wanted to share this one!
While students were standing in line, I said in a very quick voice-so fast it startled them," Make a straight line." Well, the looks on their faces were kind of puzzled. They know me and know I don't get mad at them, but they hadn't heard me say line up quite like that before....so I had their full attention. They looked at me with lots of questions on their faces. Without missing a beat I said quickly, "Curvy line." The light bulbs began to go off and immediately the students stepped out of their straight line into a curvy line. Lots of spontaneity followed. Short line (down low to the ground), tall line, zig zag line, tall-short-tall-short line (every other student stood tall or short), random line (they could strike a pose), wiggly line (feet stood still, waved arms in the air), I even threw in a rock star line (took a big breath on that one-and yep-I was right-loud and guitars), then I said, "Straight line." And, then I said, or whispered almost, "Quiet line," with my pointer finger over my mouth. Well, I can assure you.....I was the coolest art teacher ever at that moment and maybe the coolest teacher of the day! And I had the quietest and most straight line of students ever waiting for their teacher. And, it was amazing how that spontaneous, simple game held their attention...and the best thing about it is now that they "know" it....I can freely move around the room while I play the game and help the stragglers clean up. I can also appoint one student to lead the line up game! Awesome day in the art room! I love it when unique ideas come just because a teacher tries to constantly make things better for their students!
(Note: As I did this with my other classes, periodically I would throw in "straight line" to just get them regrouped before another line was called.)
