Art Camp 504 Culture

Hello Art Camp 504 Teachers and Interns,

This page outlines the culture we create at Art Camp 504. It includes behavior expectations for students, the social environment we build, project management and more. Please thoroughly review before the first day of camp.

Art Camp 504 Community Norms

• We treat our classmates and instructors with kindness and respect 

• This is the most important of all!

• We work calmly and don’t run inside

• If you feel extra excited, take a break outside in the courtyard! 

• We are creators in charge of our own art projects

• It’s up to you to decide what you want to work on, and to manage your work time! 

• We encourage ALL forms of creativity

• If you don’t feel inspired by the class content, make an independent project!

• We keep our art studio organized and tidy

• Everyone cleans up together, even if you didn’t make the mess. 

• We use conflict resolution strategies to solve our problems independently

• Violence or hurtful language is not allowed under any circumstances.

• If the conflict resolution steps don’t work, ask a teacher for help.

• We work together through collaboration and compromise in group projects

• It’s okay if your idea isn’t implemented, we brainstorm to find solutions that work for everyone!

• We raise our hands to talk during whole group lessons

• Wait for the teacher to ask for questions and don’t call out

Art Camp 504 Behavior Consequences:

Together we create a community where everyone feels welcomed, safe, and free to express themselves. We use the following consequences to help you change negative behavior. We want you to be a positive member of our community!

What behaviors are not allowed in our community?

• Curse Words and Hateful Language: Anything said to intentionally make another person feel bad. If it makes you feel sad in your heart, don’t say it.

• Bullying: Intentionally making someone feel bad over and over through mean words, threats or violence

• Physical Violence: Hitting, punching, kicking, pinching, throwing objects, yelling, stomping

Consequences for Inappropriate Behavior:

• Verbal Reminder

• We will remind you of community norms and you will apologize for your actions.

• Second Reminder and Time Out

• We will remind you again of community norms. You will apologize for your actions and sit in Time Out for 10 minutes.

• Parent Phone Call and Time Out

• If the behavior continues, you will speak to your parents on the phone. You will apologize and sit in Time Out for 15 minutes.

• Removal from Camp for the Day

• If the behavior still continues, your parents will take you home early from camp. If they are not available, you will sit in Time Out for the rest of the day.

• Removal from Camp for the Week

• If you return to camp the next day and are still acting inappropriately, you will be sent home from camp for the rest of the week

Managing our Art Studio and Supplies:

Art Camp 504 is a student run art studio, and you are in charge of managing all of your art supplies. We work together to keep our work space organized, tidy and functional.

Community Rules for our Studio:

• Pay attention to safety instructions provided by the teacher. Use art materials and tools appropriately to prevent injuries.

• Listen attentively when the teacher is giving instructions or demonstrating techniques. 

• Do not touch or interfere with someone else's artwork without their permission. Respect personal boundaries and the individuality of each person's creative expression.

• Use whatever art supplies you want, but don’t be wasteful.

• If you find an item that no longer works (such as a marker, sharpie, glue stick), throw it away.

• Fully clean up your workspace and put your artwork away before transitioning to another activity.

• Measure fabric before you cut, and only take what you need.

• After painting, clean brushes, put caps back on paint, throw away palettes, wipe down surfaces.

• No running in the studio, especially with scissors.

Clean Up Procedures:

• Everyone cleans up at the end of the day, even if you didn’t make the mess

• It’s nice to help others, and one day you might need some extra help!

• Fully zip all baggies

• Put a rubber band around all trim or ribbon

• Always put supplies back in the correct bin

• Projects go in your clear bags, or on the designated shelves

• Pick up all the little items from the floor. Put reusable items back in the bins - such as pom poms, googly eyes, and gems

• Sweep, vacuum, push in chairs

CONFLICT RESOLUTION STRATEGIES

If you have a conflict with another student, first try to resolve it independently using these conflict resolution steps. If these steps don’t solve the problem, ask a teacher for help.

1. Calm Down

   It is normal to feel angry and upset. Before trying to solve the problem, take a break and calm yourself down

   • Remove yourself from the situation, take some deep breaths, find a quiet spot. When you are ready, approach the other student.

2. State and Understand the Problem

   Describe what happened, when and where

   “I didn’t like when you… because it made me feel…” 

   Allow the other person to speak. Listen to their ideas and how they feel, without interrupting or judgment. Try to put yourselves in each others’ shoes.

3. Apologies

   “I’m sorry for making you feel…” 

   A good apology is heartfelt and genuine. Take responsibility for your actions

   Use kind words: no put-downs, insults or blaming

4. End in a positive way

   Give a smile, high-five, fist bump or hug!

Behavior Expectations during Whole Group lessons:

• All students should be quiet, listening and looking at you while you are talking. Students should be sitting up, not lying down, to show respect and to practice active listening. What you have to say is important, and we want to make sure they hear it! No whispering, poking, etc. Don’t speak if kids are talking over you.

• Teacher lessons have built in student discussion time. Example “Teacher - When developing a character, I like to first think about characters that inspire me from movies and tv shows. I think about what their character traits are. Turn to the person next to you and discuss your favorite characters and their character traits…. Students discuss…. Everyone turn to me in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…. (Look and listen to make sure everyone is paying attention) Raise your hand, I want to hear from two students what character traits you discussed.”

• Always get student attention with a call and response routine (be creative…) If students are still talking, narrate the behavior of kids that are listening. “I see that Toby is quiet and ready, I see that Jessica is facing me and has her eyes up.” Kids love hearing their name. If kids are still talking, try to address it without calling out their names. “I just need two more students in the back to turn towards me.” Give them a chance to correct their behavior without getting specific attention. If they still don’t listen, call their names out - “Bryan, I’m excited for you to focus and learn with us.” If it still doesn’t work, remind students of behavior consequences

• Always use positive reinforcement as much as possible. Negativity breeds more negativity. If you get louder, they will get louder. Students listen when they respect you and feel heard. Lowering your voice and whispering is very effective. Before resorting to discipline, try to trick them into thinking they are already behaving. 

• If you ask kids to do something, give them reasons why. “I need you to listen so that you know how to make this amazing art project.” Remind the kids that you only need them to listen for 15 minutes, then they can talk with their friends all of workshop

• If the whole class is starting to fidget and talk over you, it is because the pace is too slow, they don’t understand what you’re talking about, they’ve been sitting too long, or they are bored. Adapt your lessons - quicken the pace, think of ways to make the lesson more engaging. Often the fewer words the better.

• If a student is not listening to you after repeated reminders or is being disruptive, you send them to the Camp Director for time out / further discipline.

Behavior Expectations during Independent Work Time:

• Kids are calmly working at tables or on the floor during workshop time. No running, yelling or horseplay inside

• If a student is getting loud and rowdy, instruct them to go take a break outside in the courtyard. They can take a break for as long as they need, but remind them that there is a big show on Friday and they want to make sure they have time to finish their projects.

• We make a big deal about cursing, mean words and bullying. First try to have the students solve it on their own before intervening. If you need to intervene, lead them through the conflict resolution steps. The goal is to apologize and move on.

• Celebrate students that resolved conflicts with each other during morning and afternoon meetings. You don’t need to use names - just tell the story of how they solved the problem.  

• Narrate behavior during clean up to increase student performance - “I see Johnny looking on the floor for paper scraps. I see Amy putting scissors in the scissors bin.”

• We do not allow students to make projects that resemble guns

Social Environment we build at Art Camp 504:

• Talk to kids like adults, give them responsibility, put them in charge of their own decision making 

• The most important thing is that everyone feels safe and welcome. Bullying is a huge deal that needs to be stomped out the second it appears

• Kids are responsible for their own learning. We don’t force kids to do the projects. We encourage all forms of creativity including independent projects. We remind kids that on Friday there is a presentation, and their parents will be expecting them to have something to show

• Respect each student’s creative process. Sometimes kids need a day or two to adjust or goof off before becoming inspired. Encourage them along the way, tell them you are excited to see what they create. If a kid slacks off all week and makes something on Friday, that is still a success for them. Do a public celebration of the kids that are working hard every day, point out how amazing their work is  because they took the time to plan, add details, layers etc (not because they are naturally a better artist).

• Art Camp 504 is a positive, welcome space that exists because of a mutual respect and understanding between students and teachers. In order for this space to exist, we need to hold students to high behavior standards. All parents sign a behavior contract saying that their students will uphold our expectations. We respect the students, and the students respect the rules we ask of them. We don’t tolerate talking back, name calling, bullying, tantrums, hateful language, defiance, violence of any form.

FOOD POLICY:

• We provide students with one ice pop per day and pizza on Friday. Aftercare includes an additional snack.

• Parents pack lunch and other snacks

• Kids are welcome to eat a snack whenever they want, though we want them to wait until lunch to eat all their food so they can eat with your friends

• If kids tell you they are really hungry and they have no more food give them an after care snack. If you give them an extra snack, tell their parents you gave them an extra snack so that they know to pack more food. Tell the student this is a one time thing and generally they can’t have aftercare snacks (otherwise all the students will start asking for extra snacks)

• Scholarship students can have extra snacks, be discreet so the other kids don’t see

• If a kid forgets lunch call their parents. If the parents can’t bring them food, buy them something from Petite Clouet and have their parents venmo

TIGERMEN DEN RULES:

• We are surrounded by gorgeous antiques and expensive equipment. Do not touch or move any items that belong to the Tigermen Den

• Only work on surfaces that are covered by a camp tablecloth. Only work on rugs, not the wooden floor

• Keep your shoes on when working anywhere downstairs

• Only one student is allowed in the bathroom at a time 

• Use blue painters tape when hanging art on the walls

• Be gentle with door handles and door knobs (don’t play with the locks)

• Put away all your food after eating, and zip it up in your lunch box. Clean up your area

• The quiet room is a peaceful space for working and relaxing. Keep the door open

• No screaming in the courtyard

• If you break something, tell a teacher. Don’t try to clean it up on your own, especially if it’s sharp or dangerous.

RULES FOR UPSTAIRS:

• Take your shoes off and leave them on the rack on the landing, outside the apartment

• No running or playing on the stairs

• Only go upstairs if your group was assigned to be there OR if you have permission from a teacher

• One student in the bathroom at a time

• Be respectful of the space

• No jumping on the bed or throwing pillows

RULES FOR IMAGINATION PORTAL:

The Imagination Portal is a quiet place for reflection, journaling, coloring, and relaxation. Dream big and let your imagination run wild!

• Take your shoes off 

• Keep the door to the outside closed

• Don’t block the hallway

• Chill vibes only

• No food or drink

• Clean up after yourself

• 6 students in the portal at at time

• Be a good friend - if you have been there a while, give someone else a turn

• If the Imagination Portal causes excess drama, it will temporarily close

Project Management for Kids:

• Kids need to clean up and put their projects away when transitioning (such as going from workshop to lunch)

• Students keep art supplies, folder, etc in their clear bag with a name tag. Anything that doesn’t fit goes on the designated shelf. 

• Put bags on clothing rack or coat hanger

• Students empty out their bags completely at the end of the week and put a piece of fresh tape on

CLOUET GARDENS INSTRUCTIONS:

• Students are not allowed to climb on the slide or the fence at the back of the park

• Students can only climb to the first tree branch (big tree by the front). Only one student can climb at a time

• No hitting each other with sticks. No throwing sticks for the big dogs (Freddie, Momma, Baby), because they can jump and hurt the kids. Sticks are okay for the chins

• Check that all ice pop wrappers are picked up before leaving

• Do not pet stranger’s dogs

MARKEY PARK INSTRUCTIONS:

• A teacher walks at the front and end of the line. Do not pass the teacher when walking to the park. Stop at the intersection before crossing the street

• Stay within the fenced in playground area

• Do not climb over the fence. Go in and out through the gate if you need to get a ball

• No hitting each other with sticks

• Be respectful of other children and families at the playground

• Take turns on the swings

• Students need to be supervised if they are playing in the bamboo area

AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS:

• Kids have free time. They can work on art projects, play games. Electronics aren’t encouraged but they are allowed

• Same rules as during camp - no running inside, no gymnastics

• Students have snack around 4:15/4:30. Kids need to clean up before snack. Pick up everything off the floor and tables, bins need to be organized, trash thrown away, trash taken out if needed and bags replaced (check all cans). Vacuum. Cleaning is required, not optional. Kids can have one snack and one ice pop

• Make sure kids throw their snack garbage away

• Make sure all student work is put away before students leave

• If parents haven’t paid, they can pay through venmo @artcamp504 or cash - most parents pay in advance