We have completed the first week of school, and it has been a whirlwind!  It is so great to have the same students year after year because we can pick up where we left off so easily.

I opened the drawing studio the first day of school.  It was so exciting and easy!  Although I made a few changes to the studio this year, the students caught up quickly.

The changes I made were minor, but I think they will be the tipping point to taking care of the art materials in a more meaningful way and having the students think deeper about their artwork .  I moved the paper to a shelf by the front door.  My goal is to have all of the paper in one place, out in the open, so it will stay neatly stacked (last year, the paper was hidden and saying it was a mess is an understatement!).  I have thoughtfully put each of the drawing materials in their own place.  I organized the colored pencils by color which is a trick I learned from the  Montessori classroom.  I organized the markers and crayons by warm colors, cool colors, and neutrals.

I have put many of the supplies in terracotta flower pots.  I want them to understand that the materials are special and putting them in fragile flower pots is a wonderful way to remind the students to be gentle with them.  This is another trick I learned from a Montessori art teacher.

The new organization system helps the students be more thoughtful about what they will create, because they can only take the materials they will use during that class period.    Instead of having buckets of markers and crayons at their disposal, they only have a few supplies that they pick out as they are needed.

I love the new drawing studio, and I know my students are loving it too!