One of my tricks for building a healthy classroom is to let kids doodle on the whiteboards. Doodles are an inevitability, so why not work them out to everyone's advantage?
The recipe is simple once I notice a kid doodling.
1) I make some sort of comment or joke about their, so they know I noticed them.
2) I don't erase it unless I have to.
At some point, other kids will notice the doodle or the same kid will come back to class and I'll hear something like "Why didn't you erase it?" My response is usually something like, "It amuses me."
My goals here are to establish students can make a mark on the classroom and to build positive interactions.
By not erasing the doodle, I communicate that students have a say in the classroom environment. Most students appreciate that and it tends to generate more doodles. As long as they're appropriate, giving the students a reason to want to come to class is a good thing.
This orange guy "watches" students in a certain chair to make sure they're working.
The student who drew it adds a new feature each time he comes to class!
Secondly, the doodle gives me a natural conversation starter when I talk to the student. And when I'm really lucky, it draws in more students! That gives me the option of engaging with multiple students or stepping back to let them connect with each other.
It's silly, but the goals are serious: Get students comfortable in the room, make connections, and have some fun!
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