Routine, practices, expectations, syllabus, 'setting down the rules,' 'unpacking intentions'- Whatever you call it, it is important as educators to let students know what the classroom procedures are. Are they flexible, set in stone? Is the teacher the 'sage of the stage' or are the students actors in their own play. Is the teacher the director from the front row or the back of the theater? Every educator has their comfort zone. Every teacher their personal playbook full of strategies and anecdotes they have used for years. Some are free of alteration, while others are chock full of X's and lines, reworking the steps and moves of the game. This is a new school year, new students and a chance for a new playbook. Some 'plays' are flawless, while some need reworking. Taking the time to get to know our students will determine which.
The masterstroke of meeting is upon us- we can't wait to meet them. Opportunity, possibility, virtuosity is before us. All we need to do is stop to look at their artistry, their choice of glow and hue. The craftsmanship of community building does not come from lack of structure. In fact, it requires it. But it also needs freedom and options, individuality and personality, collaboration and cooperation. Even with the strictest of rules, behavior will not be in line if students do not feel like a community. If they feel stifled and constricted, they will get bored and boredom leads to misbehavior. But, if we provide the canvas- with edges of course, they will get creative within their parameters. If we offer brushes of various sizes, paint of all pigmentation and the luminosity to display their masterpieces- they will engage and sketch a learning environment both fluid and comfortable for them. This is classroom artistry.
It begins......
The first day jitters are invigorating, albeit nerve wrecking. The anticipation of meeting students for the first time gives all educators a few sleepless nights leading up to that moment- the morning where you hear them coming down the hall for the first time. The bell rings....You feel the energy as it approaches. You look into the crowd, not knowing which of them will enter your classroom. In your dreams you have seen this situation play out in many different ways, but until you are there, standing in the hall, experiencing the juncture, it all seems so far away. We only imagine their faces. Yes, we see their last years pictures on rosters, but until we look them in the eye, see their initial facial expressions, the memory has not been forged. Our relationships have not been sparked. This synergy is the masterstroke of meeting.
They enter the classroom, some quiet, some boisterous- but all eager to meet you. You feel like you are smiling too much, you feel awkward. They don't notice though, because they feel a bit uneasy too. They are hoping you will be the cool teacher, the fun teacher, the nice teacher. These are the first impressions that will shape the classroom community. This is the palate of colors sparkling. These are the flash reactions we can't take back. We can add depth and shading, nuance and vibrancy but the first time we meet- that is the backdrop. Each stroke of the brush needs to be communal. The canvas becomes a landscape, only after each perspective has been seen. After each voice leaves its mark. We must choose to make the class portrait colorful and dynamic. Active and energetic. This can only happen if we clear the space, empty the walls and wait for the inventiveness and ingenuity to become the classroom mural.
When we walk through a museum, we may take a peek at all the paintings but we only sit down and really take in, the ones that speak to us, sing to us. Whether it is the symmetry, design or color palate if it connects with us- we will most likely buy a postcard or poster of it from the gift shop so we can remember it. As we pass the art on the walls that does not touch us visually, we tend to dismiss them without even a glance. Like a lesson, if these pieces aren't memorable they often don't wind up as merchandise. These first encounters, like a museum often contain the prosaic, teacher-centered arrangement with little room for self-expression. Those pieces of art we walk past, never giving a second glance to, are the ones we often believe lack vibrancy, relevance, meaning. If out of the corner of our eye is a shocking splash of blue, green, yellow we will take a second look. When voice meets retina we remember because it bridges the senses. The first day of class- create this bridge and students will remember.
Making sure students understand classroom expectations is necessary, because we know we have to set the frame, find a place on the wall to display our guidelines. We need to create the feel of a museum, quiet, reflective and creative. But, we also have to make sure it is active, collaborative and innovative so the artwork gets created in the first place. A museum without art is an empty room. Many teachers feel they need to 'set the tone' as controlled and disciplined. But is that how you want your canvas to take shape? The walls of your museum to be filled? Are you open to modern art, impressionism and realism? Do you expect them each in their own wing or mixed together seamlessly? Do you welcome the synergy or desire the partition? If we visit a museum, do we expect all the art to be the same?
Educators can share their thoughts on mindfulness, kindness, cooperation not in a teacher-centered approach but in a student one. If you want your landscape to come alive, sparkle with self-advocacy and individualism then make the craftsmanship of community building the first thing you do. Let students be active participants not only in the choice of paint, texture and lighting but also the style of frame- because simple or ornate, that is what will shape the class for the rest of the year. The masterstroke of meeting is the ticket, the brochure full of shiny, textual and beautiful artwork. The craftsmanship of community is the landscape, portrait or still paintings, colorful and eye catching as you make your way through the halls of the museum- let students have choice and the pieces will be magnificent. Classroom artistry does not come from a perfect lesson it comes from an environment that both enriches creativity and enhances self-expression. What does your museum have on display?
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