The Real Work

While much of the research I have done has focused on the psychology of integrating environmentally conscious practices into the classroom setting, the crux of my intentions with this project are the day to day practices that will help students become aware of what they need to do in order to improve and maintain the environment they live in.

In this section, I will detail some simple practices that can be easily put into place in any classroom regardless of budget or room size.

Start Out Early
This can mean two things, both of which I feel are important. Early in the school year (and early in age), make it a point to talk about environmental issues that are going on that relate back to students' lives in the classroom. Many students are unaware that things such as throwing away a barely used piece of paper has negative environmental effects.

Something new I will be trying this coming school year is to sit down with each class and compile a list of environmental goals for the school year. Have each of your classes come up with as many goals as they can. Once this has been done, narrow down the list to what will be most important or effective for your classroom. Put together a bulletin board or other classroom display where students can easily see it throughout the year. To encourage further thought on the subject, leave extra room to add more goals throughout the year. Some goals that are important include the following:
-Always recycle everything that is able to be recycled.
-It is not how much that is used that is important, but how much is wasted.
-Use all parts of a piece of paper. This includes both sides and any extra white space.
-Take good care of all supplies so they last as long as they can.
-Draw and sketch lightly so mistakes can be easily erased.

In order to assure that students think more about achieving the environmental goals they have come up with, write out an Art Room Environmental Contract. Print this out and mount it to a larger piece of paper that every student you teach can sign. This can be placed on the environmental goals display as a reminder to those who have signed it.

Make Recycling Easy
I find that sometimes, despite my efforts, students do not notice the small plastic recycling bin that my school provides. In order to cut down on traditional waste and encourage recycling, I have converted one of my larger trash bins into an extra large recycling bin. I have painted it and added the traditional recycling symbol in order to make it stand out as the obvious place to put recyclable materials.

Paper Problems
One of the biggest problems I see in my classroom is that my students go through so much paper. I have been working to change their paper use habits. I teach elementary students who seem to have an inner yearning for a pristine white piece of paper every single time. When I sit down to draw or sketch in my classroom, I intentionally look for a scrap piece to work on. This problem presents itself most fully when students finish a project early and have time for exploratory or free drawing time.

Ask For Paper
I sent out an email to other teachers in my building as well as parents asking for scrap paper. I despise using new paper, however inexpensive it may be, for use during free drawing time or practice drawings for projects. The response to my email was very good. I have several teachers and one parent who collect scrap copy paper and send it to my room from time to time. I get paper ranging from unused handouts and assignments with one completely blank side to sheets with only a few words on the bottom of one side that are virtually blank. This allows me to give my students more freedom in their free drawing time and teaches the students that all paper does not need to be perfect in order for them to sketch on it.

Use Sketchbooks
Another way to reduce the amount of paper that is used in is to have students purchase sketchbooks that are kept in the classroom. These sketchbooks take the place of paper used during planning phases of projects or free drawing time. All drawings other than final artwork can be completed in one sketchbook. As the book fills, it presents a good opportunity to show students how to use both sides of the paper in their book as well as unused portions of previously used pages. What I like so much about using sketchbooks is that students can not throw away or recycle their drawings on the way out the door. The book keeps everything together and can go home at the end of the school year as another piece of artwork.

Invoke Thought Through Projects
I try to use the projects I create for my students to help them think about their relationship to the earth. I try to have at least one or two projects for each grade level that are built around environmentalism or recycling. Incorporating these themes into students' artwork allows them to focus on more than just painting or drawing. For example, I use a project based around the work of Keith Haring. Each student must come up with a social or environmental topic that is important to them. Using Haring's simple and expressive style, each student creates a poster that expresses their views on their chosen topic.

Use Recycled Materials
There is a never ending list of recycled materials that can be used in the classroom. Cardboard, computer parts, wood scraps, paper towel rolls, milk cartons, bottles, and paper scraps are just a few of the many materials that art teachers are able to use for classroom projects.

Michelle Stitzlein, one of the artists who I have highlighted, wrote a book entitled Bottlecap, Little Bottlecap in which she describes the process of making artwork using recycled bottle caps. The plastic in bottle caps cannot usually be recycled and are often thrown away. Stitzlein has come up with a variety of ways to use those caps in the art classroom. Last school year, I invited Michelle into my classroom to talk about ways to use recycled materials in artwork. The project that later resulted was a beautifully done mural of various species of fish. Most details of the project were made with bottle caps. This project helped my students realize the various ways with which ordinary household waste can be used to create incredible artwork.

A Sign of Things to Come
Put signs around your room to remind students about recycling and environmental goals. I have them placed on my paper towel dispensers in order to remind kids to only take one paper towel at a time. I have signs by each of my sinks reminding kids to use water responsibly. I have seen significant decreases in the use of paper towels as well as water.

Show Off
Make a big deal about your students' artwork. If a student's project teaches about recycling, every person who views the piece can be influenced by the message of the artwork. The more that student artwork is promoted, the more people are likely to see and be influenced by it. Like many art educators, I love to fill my school with student artwork. I host an art show at the end of the year that all students and parents are invited to. I want to make it known to my school population and beyond that what my students are doing is important and should be viewed as such. I have also recently started a blog. I post several examples of each project online in order for parents, students, relatives, and friends to see. This is an easy process and it takes very little time. I have gotten rave results from the blog. Blogs can be created through many free sites online. Mine is through Blogger. Visit the Thomas Elementary Art blog to check it out.