This semester I am teaching my first college course. I was a classroom teacher for years, for all different age groups, before switching to the non-profit arts sector eight years ago. I have really enjoyed being back in the classroom, especially at the college level. The course is an elective for Elementary Education majors that concentrates on integrating the Arts across the Curriculum.
Before the course started, I organized a binder for class with the syllabus on the first page and the following sections:
In addition to the syllabus; I write a lesson plan for each class.
This course concentrates on the pre-school through third grade age group. I try to incorporate a lot of different visual arts elements to teach counting, shapes, and colors.
Are you currently teaching this age group? Or have your own children this age and would like to know more about how to incorporates the arts in their development? I have many lessons and activities that use visual arts, music, dance, and theater to enhance learning. Leave me a comment; I’d love to share ideas with you!
My Color-Coded Life 
Soooo proud of you Queen Maureen!!! I only wish I had you as my teacher and a course like yours when I was in college…..Ha Ha! xoxo
thanks Denise – I remember when you were a teacher and you gave me one of those triangle things to put on my pencil so I would hold it correctly!
I use a binder for each class too! Then, at the end of the semester, I take everything out that was student/semester specific and put it in a folder with three ring holders and labeled it that course. That turns the binder into a general course binder and I keep it for the next time I teach that I teach that course. It’s so easy to have all your information in one place. When you teach this class again, you’ll find it easy as pie.
Thank Jenn! These are all great ideas. I am hoping to teach this course again so thanks for these tips. Thanks for reading!