Sometimes it happens, as much as you train them and set the expectations… Sometimes a TAB teacher puts her foot down and closes a center. Sculpture is one of the top 3 centers that has this issue. I decided to take this drastic measure after a number of problems. The hammer had been missing from the tool board for over a week, glue got dumped all over the table, and garbage was being chucked into all the supply bins. But the straw the broke the center’s back was when a teacher came to me with a handful of little salvaged electronic bits to complain that students were throwing them around her room.
I knew my 6th graders were to blame (based on the classroom) but closed it for all periods (the glue incident was an 8th grader and who knows who lost the hammer.) So today’s mini lesson was a lecture on theft and clean up responsibilities. They all seemed to take it pretty seriously.
With the option of having the center reopened, if and when some kids took responsibility to clean it up, the 6th graders skipped making art for the period to do the work. They worked hard to get the center cleaned and organized.. And amazingly the hammer was found! And with the mere threat that collage center was close to the chopping block, some girls worked hard on that one too. I even had a student do some extra tidying up in paint, even though everything was pretty good over there.
Clay center is also on a “slow down” meaning I won’t restock more fresh clay, until we clear out a bunch of fired clay that needs to be painted and glazed work that needs to be taken home. Our Studio Choice Challenge has been putting all these centers through their paces.
It usually only happen once a year, but sometimes a center just needs to be closed. Luckily do to the hard work of the 6th graders it will reopen tomorrow.
