Synergize, Synergize!

My art room has certain routines that when followed, make the class run like clockwork. For instance in the beginning of class I call one art leader from each table to pass out artwork and certain supplies. While they're doing that, I'm usually handing out paint, water or paper mache glue. It makes my job easier and faster to have these students help in the beginning of class. But at the end of class I call on ALL students to synergize to help clean up the artroom. Before a student can wash up from class, they first need to put away their artwork, and then go back to the table to collect their supplies and take it to the cart. It's hard to believe at this point in the year that I still have to remind some students that they need to take care of their supplies before washing their hands. At clean-up time, I'm constantly saying take care of your artwork first, then go to back to your table and get your dirty brush and paint palette and return it to the cart, then you may wash your hands. When we paint in art class we need about ten minutes of clean-up time for eveyone to take care of their art, put away supplies and wash their hands. Students are supposed to synergize at the end of class to clean up their own tables. Most students do, but I constantly have some students look at me like its their first day of school, totally puzzeled as to where everything belongs once they're finished with it. I sometimes wonder if they do anything to help clean up at home. If not, they don't have any concept of helping to clean up at school. So one day I started clapping my hands, singing "Synergize, synergize thats the way, to clean the art room everyday". I repeated the tune over and over again and it seemed to get the kids motivated to synergize and help clean up. When we all work together we get the job done faster and more efficiently.