In order to be an effective teacher, managing students and setting behavioral expectations must be a strong priority, but only as a means of getting students to maximize their learning. The aim of classroom management is not to constantly watch for and punish students for improper behavior, but to create a positive environment in which students can thrive and succeed. In the art classroom, students who know what is expected of them will feel more comfortable, granting them the ability to express their ideas through creative mediums. Through decreasing interruptions, setting student expectations, establishing positive peer and teacher relationships, quickly and unobtrusively managing misbehavior, and establishing a culture of professionalism, my classroom will flourish as an optimal and supportive learning environment.

Managing behavior is an important process to keep students on task in order to maximize learning. Having control of the room allows me to focus my attention on disseminating knowledge to the students. When students are having behavioral issues, students are not open to learning and often disturb the learning of others. In a classroom focused on digital art, the computer is often a source of distraction despite it being the primary tool for art creation. Teaching students the value of staying on task and staying self-motivated will keep behavior problems to a minimum. While the process of creating art is an individual process, the sharing of ideas and critiquing work is a collaborative process. Creating an environment where students are open to constructive feedback falls back to behavioral management. Students will be expected to give honest feedback and learn to separate the work from the person. With art and design, we critique the work, not the person. If students become defensive during an open discussion, they may feel the urge to make inappropriate comments and push the tone of the room into a negative direction. The learning environment in my classroom must come from mutual respect and an open attitude.

To set the proper tone for the room, I will maintain the idea that the students and myself share the power and responsibility to create the rules that will keep order in the classroom. Students should not feel like they are in an authoritarian environment, where they have little control over their own actions. By allowing the students to participate in the process of creating expectations and guidelines for their actions, they will internalize the rules and be less likely to engage in off-task or poor behavior. However, students will need a bit of guidance when it comes to setting the rules initially. At the beginning of a term or semester, the class will help to craft specific rules when it comes to handling classroom discussions, turning in assignments, and establishing critique procedures. Of course some rules will be established by the school when it comes to physical behavior, attire, and attendance, but giving students a bit more control over their behavior in the classroom setting will generate a stronger sense of fairness and make them more understanding of consequences when rules are broken.

Part of the reason to share the power with students is to establish a positive classroom relationship between students and the teacher. Students should feel comfortable talking to their teacher, leading to an ongoing dialog where students can ask questions. In order to develop a positive relationship with students, I will express the importance of accountability and share parts of my own educational experiences. Sharing personal anecdotes about times when I was in school helps reminds students that I have gone through similar classes and can serve as a reminder that their hard work and commitment to their education will bring them success. Humor also comes into play when educating students and building trust. Often students are talked down to and feel like they are being handled in the classroom by adults. Humor can help to soften the boundaries in a student teacher relationship and cause the students’ moods to be more relaxed and positive, which helps prevent behavior issues and leaves them open to creative output. It should be established that the type of humor is not detrimental or aimed at students, but is more observational about the subject matter being taught. The wrong type of humor turns into bullying, which only harms the relationships students generate with each other and their relationship with the teacher. Establishing a good relationship based on positivity and accountability will set up a successful learning environment.

A few students will inevitably exhibit behavior which will need correcting, but in order to minimize the misbehavior, a preventative approach will require less negative issues of confrontation with students. Establishing a good routine will allow students to predict when certain behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable. This starts with a positive look at the tasks and activities that will take place during class time. Reminding students of what is due and expected before next class will prevent any surprises that could lead to outbursts and frustrations. While in class, moving around the room constantly and keeping a close proximity to students will prevent them from having the opportunity to become off-task and keep up the pace of a challenging learning environment. Another preventative method that helps keep misbehavior to a minimum is to give students meaningful and helpful tasks. Having students in charge of different aspects of an activity gives them an extra sense of value and the division of labor makes them more cooperative and willing to participate rather than engage in off-task behavior.

Finally, creating an environment that mirrors the professional world motivates students to do their best work as well as be on their best behavior. Treating and expecting students to work like creative professionals will give them real-world experience and allow them to get accustomed to an environment in which they would work in the future. Professionalism covers many aspects of behavior like attendance, completing assignments, and treating others respectfully at all times. Professionalism leads to inclusiveness and cooperation between classmates. Another benefit to running a classroom like a professional studio is that students feel motivated to create their best work, rather than treating their work like practice exercises. When students feel pride in their work, they will become more focused on their creations instead of engaging in misbehavior.

Keeping students immersed in their own work in a positive learning environment will help students avoid unwanted behavior that negatively affects the level of productivity in the classroom. Through sharing the power and creating expectations with student input, increasing the positivity through humor and personal anecdotes, and treating students like professionals rather than students will keep the classroom functioning smoothly. Creating supportive conditions in a classroom takes empathy for students and a commitment to giving all students an opportunity to do their best work.