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NAEA Advisory NAEA Advisory
The National Art Education Association, 1916 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091-1590
Winter, 1992
Creating and Maintaining Classroom Decorum
by
Richard R. Doornek, Ed.D.
Curriculum Specialist in Art Milwaukee Public Schools
MOTIVATION, DISCIPLINE, AND THE JOURNEY OF SCHOOLING
Recent literature in education suggests that some motivational and disciplinary techniques may need to be re-examined. Using
artificial means to make learning always fun or using extrinsic rewards is probably a mistake, according to Jere Brophy , Co-
Director of the Institute for Research on Teaching at Michigan State University. While these approaches have become part of
conventional school practice, especially in the "Effective Schools" literature, they may be futile. Trying to make learning always
fun is impossible and creates a counter-productive mindset in students. Extrinsic rewards convey that learning is unpleasant and
not to be pursued for its own sake. What teachers should do, Brophy advises, is to project attitudes which convey that they know
what they want from students and will not allow them to do less than their bestand that learning is both challenging and
rewarding.
Similarly, Eisner suggests that we should make sure children understand that the journey of schooling is important in itself.
What really counts in schools is teaching children that the exploration of ideas is sometimes difficult, often exciting, and
occasionally fun. The reason, Eisner states, it is so important for children to enjoy what they study in school is because without
such satisfactions, the likelihood that they will pursue their studies outside our institutions is small. What we need to do as art
teachers is to organize our teaching approaches to help children discover that the journey of learning is the reward and that this
is a lifelong adventure.
Planning for Pleasant Classroom Decorum
Invariably, when things go wrong in the classroom, the "slippage" can be traced
to lack of planning. Effective teacher planning and motivating is a proven, significant way to engage children in learning and
subsequently modify their behavior. An effective art teacher capitalizes upon much of the intrinsic art material and process
motivation. However, we cannot assume automatic motivation and interest on the part of all of our students. Plans must be made
for age appropriate motivation and for discipline which includes clear rules, and interventions when rules are broken. Effective
teachers set up classroom rules and procedures, monitor compliance with rules, follow through with consequences quickly and
consistently, establish a system of student responsibility and accountability for work, communicate information clearly, and
organize instructional activities for maximum student participation.
Creating and maintaining classroom decorum does not come with quick and easy solutions. Creating a classroom environment
which is at once purposeful and joyful requires a caring understanding of teacher/student dynamics. Curwin and Mendler ,
Discipline With Dignity, have identified principles that form the foundation of an effective classroom management approach:
1. Consistently communicate the expectation that school is a place to learn. Let students know what you need. To have
a pleasant productive art class, you must establish clear and specific guidelines that define rules and consequences for both you
and your students. Good art teachers use "alerting techniques" which act as motivators to do a good job, to complete
work, to get to the next exciting technique.
2. Create an atmosphere which is both purposeful and joyful. Make sure your students understand the kind of work which
is necessary in learning about art and in creating art. They should understand the joy of doing something well. Provide art
instruction at levels that match the student's ability. If a student is acting out, assume that it may be a defense against feeling
like a failure because of inability to handle the material or concept. Good teachers constantly assess student understanding and
engagement. If you are unable or unwilling to adapt your teaching styles to lower or higher response levels based upon the
student's needs, then you are offering the student a valid excuse for acting out.
3. Hold performance standards that are both reasonable and enforced. Just as expectations that are too high lead to
frustration, those that are too low lead to boredom and the feeling that success is cheap and not worthy of effort. When we assign
tasks that are too easy, or redundant, students find little value in the projects and little pride in their achievements. It is important
to increase the challenge without increasing the tedium. Effective art lessons tap higher-level thinking skills that require
imagination, creativity, analysis, and synthesis. The whole idea of art as a pleasureable and engaging kind of work should be
taught and reinforced.
4. Use both verbal and non-verbal means of communication with students. Use all of your senses to determine what students
are thinking and feeling. There is probably no skill more important than active attending to defuse potentially troublesome
situations. Students misbehave when they feel anxious, fearful, or angry. Movement in the classroom, standing beside a verbal
student, or taking different strategic positions in the class while teaching let students know you are alert. Proximity, when
1
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3 toward establishing bonds with kids. If you know of a student who has been physically abused, then exercise caution. If you
want to communicate with human warmth, caring, and concern, words will take you only so far. Supplement your words with
non-verbal displays of caring and concern.
5. Be a listener and try a little humor. Moscowitz and Hayman found that students who rated their teachers as "best" mentioned
the following teacher characteristics: they listened well, they were able to focus upon the current interests of students, they
avoided yelling
when disciplining, and they used humor. Yelling begets negative responses especially with middle level
students. Humor, properly used, evokes positive responses. You are not paid to be a comedian, nor should you be expected to
come to class prepared with an arsenal of jokes. But many frustrating situations can be lightened by learning how to poke fun
at yourself and by avoiding defensiveness. When using humor, make sure students are not the butt of your jokes.
6. Cause student time to be spent on learning activities, and fully utilize all instructional times. Good art teachers motivate
and engage students through effective organization and thorough planning. Good teachers plan for and utilize the entire period.
They also vary their style of presentation to keep children engaged. Research has shown that older children have a maximum
attention span of 15 minutes and younger children 10 minutes for any style of presentation. Have something ready to engage
the students as soon as they come into the art room. Try a "non-verbal" motivation with art materials at students desks. Have
students demonstrate media possibilities. If you lecture and demonstrate for 15 minutes, it should be followed by art activity and
summarized by a discussion. You might also vary from large-group discussion to small groups. Continually using the same
approach will create inattentiveness and restlessness, which may lead to disruption.
7. Maintain personal self-control. Do not place yourself in an argumentative or ultimatum situation. These are frequently "no
win" situtations. Effective teachers treat the causes of disruption as well as its manifestations. Teachers who learn how to identify
with students who have negative feelings and who can convey understanding and empathy through reflective or active listening
are usually able to short-circuit the cycle that leads to disruption. Calmly ask an "acting out" student to join you in the hall. Listen
to the student. Provide choices to resolve situations in a way which will maintain self respect. Students should be offered a choice
and must be helped to see that the consequences are a result of their choices. For example, "You can do your assignment now
or during recess." "You can borrow a pencil, buy one from me, or provide collateral." "You chose to fight, and so you've chosen
to go home for the remainder of the day." You may offer the student "good luck" with a decision, recognizing that decisions are
not easy to make, but that the student is responsible for the decision after the choices are offered.
8. Refuse to accept excuses. Once there are sensible rules and consequences established in the classroom, all misbehavior is
greeted with a specific consequence. If there is a fight, it makes no difference who started it. If a student is unprepared for a class,
it makes no differenc