There is so much research and evidence for the healing power of art. There are entire fields of study in psychology and psychiatry focused on art therapy. I personally have been using art to help me unlock solutions for my own inner challenges for years now. More than journalling, talk therapy or other forms of therapy, painting and drawing succeed every time in shifting my consciousness from a states of confusion into a state of clarity and peace of mind. I cannot exactly say why this is, I just know it to be true. I see it in kids in even more profoundly powerful ways. Children don't have the same vocabulary to express what they are feeling, but their world of images is deep and meaningful. If you have ever had a child explain their scribblings, you understand. In my experience, the circles and scribbled lines have plots that include tornados, talking spaghetti, mean frogs and helpful dogs. They are elaborate tales reflecting a deep inner life that you would otherwise never know existed. I was cleaning up the garage today, getting some supplies ready when I came across a drawing done by one of the children in the HNE classroom. I shared sometime earlier about the daring plan of the district to open a developmental holistic classroom using a curriculum I call Holistic Neuroeducation. This curriculum integrates art into all learning activites, it is embodied and personally relevant. It is focused on building deep meaningful relationship, and responding to the students interests. It completely failed in the public system. It wasn't even given a fighting chance. After only three days I was shut down. All the district head could see was the misbehavior. They didn't even want to hear about some of the critically important discoveries about these children. My heart still aches for these kids who likely were placed in a completely punitive environment with no freedom or chance to express themselves at all. A mini 3rd grade prison. The power of art with these kids was so pronounced. They painted with such energy. It was almost as if they were afraid I would take away their paint brush. They were trying to quickly get it all out. There was one child who came in every morning and drew three or four drawings, always the same. A dark blue or black background and a house or a single figure alone. He explained to me the story of the house. He said, mom was dead and dad was upstairs with the new girlfriend. He explained, he was by himself down stairs. He wrote on the chalkboard, "I want to die." He was terribly wounded. All the district could see was when he would get mad and explode. He would rip off his shirt and pee in the courtyard. The administration could only see that the teacher was not "controlling" him. The only thing I could see was a hurting child. And then I could see that he was coming out of his shell. I could see there was hope. On the last day of the short project, he came into the classroom and was dancing around. He had his hoodie off. He sat down and looked at me and said, "I feel different." I asked him how he felt, and he said, "I don't know." I said, "Maybe you are happy." He smiled at me and said, "Yes, that is it." Even though it only lasted a moment, I was glad I was there to witness the power of a holistic arts-integrated approach to teaching.
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Abigail LarrisonEducator, Scientist and Art Maker. The purpose of all life is to spread joy. What brings more joy than making art? Archives
November 2023
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