Why Disco Cleanup and My Favorite Classroom Tools


   "What should I call my art teaching blog?"

I posed this question on my social media story and to my students. My community gave me a few fabulous ideas like Coloring Paige, Crosswhite Crafts, and Paige's Palette but my gut said, 

    "What makes your teaching approach unique from others?"

It's a party. Not always a wild one, but it's an atmosphere that I control. It's a different classroom experience. Often, the vibe is more controlled Downton Abbey dinner party and not so much a buck-wild rager. I chose the name, Disco Cleanup because the classroom is an opportunity to host a party for guests. I love to host parties. I want everyone to feel confident and excited to be there. 

What is Disco Cleanup? I pump dance music and hit the party lights as a reward for a clean classroom or a finished project. We don't do disco cleanup for every single class but it's a fitting name for my current vibes as a brand new art teacher. 

For the last 10 years, I've been teaching painting parties. Like the Paint and Sips where 8-36 adults get wild and make acrylic paintings. And yes, they are FUN! I get to play the hostess with the most-est and do a little stand-up routine while everyone eats, drinks, and makes art. I unapologetically and absolutely love it. I love to make everyone feel like they had a really fun time and they made something. It doesn't have to be good, but at least it was fun? Great looking artwork just happens to be a bonus. :D 

What make's a great party classroom? Good vibes, flexibility, lots of supplies, and a plan.  

My favorite classroom tools, so far:

Pinterest
I organize my thoughts and I'm constantly inspired. I use it almost every single day.




DIY Overhead projector Ipad stand
The previous teacher had one but he had to dismantle it. I made one with PVC while I was subbing last year. I set my iPad on it on camera mode to show techniques up close and it shows my demos. It connects to the Apple TV projector and I can mirror my screen. Eventually, I could make those just-hands style crafting videos because for some reason, being on camera isn't easy. But this thing is really helpful. Also, it's helpful to have a sturdy case on the ipad because I tend to knock it off the stand sometimes. I bet there is a fix for this but I think this works for me right now. 



Binder clips. I use them to hold each classes' projects together while we are still working on them. I put them in the cabinets in my art room. I have each cabinet door labeled with their grade. Not a sexy classroom tool but worth it.


Smart Color LED Lights. I have eight floor lamps and one desk lamp around the room. These are my disco lights and my classroom management hack. I don't have to clap or chant with my hands full. With a little remote, I can just turn the lights all RED and they will stop, or get a little scared. I wanted to have WIFI-enabled LED lights but you're not allowed to have smart devices connected to the school wifi. I have about 12 of them. It wasn't cheap but it's completely worth it. Everyone dislikes the hum of the fluorescent bulbs so having these in different settings can really set the classroom mood. They also have black lights mode. There is a whole Art of Education Pro Learning Pack on Blacklight Galleries! I want to do something with that in the future. 

Scentsy Warmers I have two plug-ins. It's a full sensory experience in the art room. I can make it feel cozy or energizing or just smell really good. I have a lot of hidden outlets so spilled wax isn't a problem. The kids love it because it's another level of novelty I can add to the experience. What does Ms.Crosswhite's room smell like today? 

Cardboard Cutter Tool My neighbor gave me this for Christmas. Cutting cardboard for projects is actually fun. HIGHLY recommended. Who hates getting cramped hands from cutting cardboard? ME. I hate it. Problem. Solved. Now, I just need to figure out how to sharpen or replace the blade. I think they sell replacement blades for cheap. 



Cordless Hot Glue Gun. It's not a multi-temp so it will burn the YIKES out of your hands. BUT It attaches to my drill battery. LOVE. I'm still figuring out bulletin boards but I feel like this is fantastic for that. I can be on a ladder and  I put down a strip of painter's tape on the wall and then hot glue whatever it is to the tape. Boom. It works really well. 
  • BONUS GLUE GUN PRO TIP: ALWAYS Get the sticks and just put them in a tool belt to reload. Don't get the giant coil. It doesn't feed well and it's just a hot mess of glue gun stuff in the way.
Silverware trays. Dollar Tree find. The previous teacher used these and I loved them. I use them for table tools. They can see all the tools and sort them. Sometimes things fit kind of awkward but they are great and they slide into the bins in my tables. I see a lot of fancy organization things that look pretty but they take a long time to set up and they're not as user-friendly for the kids. 

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