Ruminations on Relaxation

"The air is like a butterfly
 With frail blue wings
 The happy earth looks at the sky
 And sings."

(Alfred) Joyce Kilmer   December 6, 1886

It's funny how thoughts occur to me through some odd set of circumstances or situation that is totally unexpected.  

I'm sitting in the chair getting a pedicure the other day when Amy asked me, "So how are you getting along with that new art curriculum you told me about?"  This is at the beginning of what would be an hour session, so instead of a cursory, "oh, fine", I set off on a monologue of how what I've been doing compares to what I've done over the years.  Not from the standpoint of how much more the students are learning, how much better their artwork is, or how much more they seem to enjoy learning about art.  I have already told her (and you) all of that.

What occurred to me was how different my everyday experience has been with my art classes.  I have found my class time to be so much more relaxed than ever before.  That made me wonder about why that was.  In reflecting on the kind of teacher I have been and the way in which I have conducted my classes, I would have to say that I'm a bit of a "control freak".

I guess I don't think of that as such a bad way of being, since my philosophy has always been that you can't teach anyone anything unless you have their attention and you can't have their attention if you have a chaotic environment.  "Classroom Management" is the altruistic concept.

Since I do feel the need for order in the classroom, I have always needed to be organized to the hilt.  I would pass out supplies (or have selected students do it), set up assignments in a logical order, set deadlines, and make sure there were few, if any, wasted moments during the class period.  This meant my being "on top of it", in terms of seeing that needs of students were met, etc.  I have wondered at art teachers who seem to somehow welcome chaos in their class rooms.  Seeing students all out of their seats, crowding around a central media area waiting to grab supplies, noise levels off the charts, directions screamed out by the teacher over the voices of the masses.  I know I would just not like it.

So my answer to Amy was, "you know I find it rather relaxing to not be in charge".  Then I thought, WOW!  Here I have 30 students doing 30 different things at the same time and I find that RELAXING?  It's because I have placed the burden of their learning on their backs and relieved myself of that responsibility.  By taking the time to set up the organizational structure and following through on all its ramifications, I have an environment where all I have to do is remind the students of their responsibilities, answer questions, make suggestions, ask them why they feel a need to change what their doing, and praise them.  Of course, I still demonstrate media and technique, show them videos on artists and concepts, give them examples of art work through slide shows, and discuss with them aspects of art they need to know.  All that's a given.  What I enjoy now is the relaxing feeling that everything is in place and I can truly enjoy the experience of watching the students learn.  Good deal!