Classroom Management for Art, Music, and PE Teachers

by Michael Linsin

Teaching 400-600 students every week presents the ultimate classroom management challenge, one that if you’re unprepared for can bury you in a mountain of stress and misbehavior.

Classroom Management for Art, Music, and PE Teachers is a proven solution that will transform even the most difficult group of students into the peaceful, well-behaved class you really want.

It provides the tools, tips, and strategies you need to simply and effectively manage any classroom, no matter how unruly or out of control, so you can focus on teaching, inspiring, and making an impact that lasts a lifetime.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Music, Adult, Art, Professional Development

165 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2014

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me admit that I went about this all wrong: I read Michael Linsin’s Classroom Management for Art, Music, and P.E. Teachers before I read his Dream Class: How To Transform Any Group Of Students Into The Class You've Always Wanted. I turned to Classroom Management for Art, Music, and P.E. Teachers when I was facing teaching Spanish in an elementary school after having spent the previous 14 years — my entire career — teaching high school.

Linsin’s book is pretty short, but it gives related-arts teachers the skills they need to manage students they see only once or twice a week. It doesn’t have any particular advice for teachers on a cart (like me), but it’s still got plenty of good ideas to use. Now, on to read Dream Class!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally a book about classroom management for specialists! This is a really great book with lots of helpful advice and ways of thinking about things. Much of his advice resonates with me...it's very logical. I recommend this to any new specialist teacher, it will be a great way to get you started and in the right mindset.

[Lesley Potts · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sad that I have to resort to reading a book like this after all the years I've been involved in teaching Art to children. These may be the most challenging classes I've ever had. Pleased to report that the techniques I've used so far are working, slowly. But, man, it's sooooooo boring waiting for them to stop the fooling around and be ready to even come in the Art room.

[Sammi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good reminders, easy to read, and I will likely review it again. However, I wish it included more specifics, like case scenarios from other, real teachers (times it went wrong, times it went right… how changing to this method helped. What happens if kid won’t go to seat away… different options for the point system, rules, and consequences. I am definitely not planning to contact any parents.) Also, I would like references. I believe that some of these methods are research-based, but which are just anecdotal? Just things that work for him?

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elementary Drama Teacher

This book was incredibly helpful. I don't know if the background of my Kindle edition is even white anymore with all the highlighting.

I think I spent my first year doing Classroom Management in the "all day every day" approach I learned in college without realizing that doesn't work in the atmosphere of elementary enrichment. This book really helped me to see how I was being over the top and how to pare it down for the truth of my classroom.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually started reading this book at the beginning of the year.

Written in clear, straightforward language the author lays down simple principles to create a healthy and functioning classroom management plan.

[Kelly F · Rating 5 out of 5]

While designed specifically with specials teachers in mind, this book would be a good read for all classroom teachers and those who work in a school. His other books are also helpful.

[Grace Wepfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for work. I wish I had read this the summer before my first year of teaching!

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly helpful!

[Mark Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a companion book for a PDE class I took. It has great advice on classroom management for specialists.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Bookadaychallenge Difficult to find books that deal with classroom management in "Specials" classes. Even though this does not include Library classes, I found a lot of good ideas that I will try to use next year. Would be a good book discussion with the rest of our school "Specials" team at our meetings next year.

[Stacie Erickson-Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information

I wish this would have addressed Library Media Specialists as well but, the suggestions are sound and logical. This is a good reminder of what to do and not to do before the new school year. My remaining question is how to deal with students who refuse to go to time out.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes it can happen

I have lived the ideas in this valuable little book and have seen them work in my music classroom with real kids in real time. With simplicity and consistency the ideas in this valuable little book work. If your classroom is a bit of a zoo, then the ideas in this valuable little book are necessary for your children and your sanity.

[Louis House · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise volume of practical tips. Written for Art, Music and PE teachers, but applicable to my practice as a Technology Education and Language Arts teacher candidate as well. Would have liked more advice for older grades, but the book can't be all things.

Gained points for its concision and actionability.

Lost points for the author's tendency to sound a little too sure of himself and his tips.

[Sara Shupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I work in the library and this book is perfect for dealing with classroom management for multiple classes and grades. Great ideas! And an easy, understandable read.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great quick read about classroom management for specialists! I think this would be a great book to read in a teacher prep program because its tone is so relatable and down to earth. He gives a good picture of how a classroom actually functions. He also spoke as someone with classroom experience as both a general teacher and a specialist, so that provided interesting perspective. That said, the reader must bare in mind that this is just one man’s opinion. This is also why it’s great for discussion.

The essential message is that calm, factual, and consistent delivery of classroom management structure is more effective than emotionally-heightened or tense responses to student behavior. He stressed that negativity can affect the teacher-student relationships for the worse. Good food for thought.

[A. Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired Reading for Specials Teachers

This book is what I needed to start looking forward to the next school year. It is written for elementary art, music and PE teachers but it applies to middle school electives (including health, drama, foreign language, etc.) and probably high school as well. The primary key to good classroom management, according to this book, is consistency in following your routines and procedures and issuing calm but fair and consistent consequences. The author teaches this in an inspired tone and explains exactly how to do it in a way that makes having a respectful, motivated class of artists, musicians or athletes seem completely possible. If you are feeling burned out and defeated about teaching, I highly recommend this book.

[Tirzah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon finishing my first full year of teaching a specials classroom, I decided I was in great need of S.O.S. in the classroom management department. Enter Classroom Management for Art, Music, and P.E. Teachers. I teach library and although this book is geared towards P.E., music, art, it is applicable to any specials teacher.

This tiny book is mighty on wisdom. Maintaining order for 20+ kids per class/10 classes a day is tricky in any time and place, but after the shutdown, many kids emerged from it even wilder than before. I say teachers need all the help they can get and what better help then from a fellow teacher? I am highlighting several points and hope to implement them in the fall.

[Robin Terschak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of highlighting in this book for sure!! Excited for the ways I can implement the lessons.

SPOILERS BELOW:
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•
Two things that I would’ve loved to see based on my own teaching situation. The rest of the book was very fruitful so I didn’t bump the rating down….
- Cart teaching: a portion of this book addressed space but not about going into other people’s “territory” and trying to build the culture within the culture
- PBIS: many schools (at least in my state) are required to adopt PBIS which in many ways relies on extrinsic behaviors which this book specifically warns against.

Again, not bump worthy but still noteworthy to me.

[Logan Grinsell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a lot of information that is valuable for new specialist teachers. As well as a great mind reset for teachers who may have been full time classroom teachers that are moving into the specialty classes.

I would have liked to have more evidence and support to back up these systems he talks about. It is hard to believe that what works for him is a system that works for all kids. This was also written at a time when children didn’t have a pandemic they lived through nor digital devices engrained in every aspect of their life. This book needs a rewrite dealing with the children of today and data/evidence pulled from many different schools, demographics, and situations.

[Tracey 'Provenzano' Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of things that are in every core classroom's management tool box but FINALLY explained as it applies to specials/elective classrooms! I can't tell you how many times I've either wanted to or been told I have to use a method in my room and then it just didn't work because specials/electives ARE different. This book made me feel less crazy, like the things I've observed with being a different type of classroom were true. That not everything works the same way in our rooms. It also had wonderful practical advice, and easy, concise rules and attitudes to implement.

[Melissa Arenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read and would be exceptional for new teachers. I did this as part of a professional development book study with my team, but I have been teaching for 15 years so many of these strategies were simply a non-issue for me. I have had a lot of years under my belt without classroom management being a concern at this point. However, the strategies would be wonderful for new teachers. Though it is all common sense, it is nice to hear it from an elective teacher's perspective instead of from the core classroom focus since we have such a unique set of problems that we deal with.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. An excellent resource aimed especially at Art teachers, which is a bit ironic given the author is a PE teacher. This book is most helpful if you teach at the elementary level...which I do not. There are a lot of tactics here that simply do not or can apply to middle or high school teachers and students. A lot is predicated on having your class start out in the hallway after students have arrived at my doorstep in one neat tidy line (or not), but that ain't ever gonna happen in my case so, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯...

Read for an online Graduate Education class (KMN).

[eamillr · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have likely never reached such a limit of frustrating repetition until reading this book. I learned maybe three new things and perhaps smiled twice at the hint of creating a proper classroom environment. Aside from that… why was every chapter exactly the same?
I feel as well that Linsin’s attempted coverage of multiple subjects within education (music, physical education, art) hindered me from learning anything of particular value regarding each; leading to a very vague dialogue which left much to be desired- and much more to be entirely excluded.

[Melinda Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice to read a book specifically for specialists (I teach library) and recognizing the challenges we face every day. I was surprised by the fact of keeping things simple equals success. I found it had a lot of useful tips and I am planning on restructuring my classroom management according to suggestions in this book. Found it very helpful and I will be referring back to this book throughout the school year as needed.

[Tenessa Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of great information and helpful hints into how to better run your classroom. The specialty areas really help a lot. A lot of times I read books that are generalized teaching, this one is specific to Art, Music and PE teachers. The author understands how our schedules work and the amount of students we see on a weekly rotation. There were a lot of helpful bits, but several repeats.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an art teacher, I found this classroom management resource to be very helpful. I really appreciate how the author addresses up front that managing specials (Art, Music & PE) classes is a different animal in terms of classroom management. The author provides helpful tips that take you step-by-step through the process of successful classroom management. I recommend that all apprentice special teachers take time to listen/read this book. It's not too long which is great too!

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right to the point and very useful

I love that the book is geared toward specialists teachers. It is a difficult teaching situation and it deserves the focus that this book gives it. I enjoyed how every chapter is short, clear, and straight to the point. As a new specialist teacher, I appreciate the way this book is written and the sound advice it gives. Thank you for writ g this book Mr. Linsin

[Abbey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bookmarked a couple pages in this book to revisit, but other than a few choice pages, everything seemed so.... like "duh". I didn't learn anything astronomically new in this book, and the author repeated the same strategies over and over. He also only assumed there was one schedule, and most of his strategies seemed based around an elementary classroom. It read more like an internet article on a teaching website than a book. Next!

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I have struggled in my 2 years of teaching with classroom management at times but this book is a goldmine for me. So many gems here and my favorite is the reminder that we should enjoy what we do and not take things personally. We should care deeply about our students but not care (at least where it affects us emotionally) about how they respond to us or disobey our directions.

I will read this book on an annual basis and I will pass it along to others as well!