This is a good idea. I had a class I did this with once. Kept all my
behavior problems from influencing the others. Give those who have proven
themselves an assignment that is "neat" to the ones who have earned the
privilege, and one that is "not so neat" to those who can't seem to follow
the directions. You will gain more respect from those who are trying to
learn, and those who aren't will either continue to be obnoxious or they
will straighten out and try to earn the right to move to another table. If
you do separate them be sure and tell those who aren't getting to do the fun
stuff exactly why they are where they are at, and more importantly, what
they need to do to earn the privilege of creating art. And when they earn
the privilege be sure and tell them they are on probation.
~Michal
K-12 Kansas Art Teacher
http://www.geocities.com/theartkids
> I'm even thinking about moving
> the good students to two or three tables on one side of the room so that I
> can
> teach to them. I don't believe that the troublemakers deserve to do art
> in
> my classroom right now, yet I don't want to punish the whole class any
> more.
> The contracts that I make them write really aren't working all that
> well...so
> I'm thinking of giving them other written assignments that will be worth a
> grade.
