Art and Creativity in Educational Therapy

Using Art to Unlock Student Buy-In

Every student has that day: scowling face, defiant foot drag, backpack hurled to the floor. No matter what is suggested, the answer is a solid and emphatic “NO!” Sometimes the hardest thing we do during our sessions with students is to get the first “yes.” Until a student says yes to the activity, to the work, to the session, no work will happen. When faced with the wall of “NO”, Educational Therapists (ETs) must pull from a wide variety of research-based best practices. There is a growing body of evidence, both in art therapy and neuroscience, that supports the use of the arts as a way to improve mental and physical health outcomes and academic learning.¹  Art can crack that “NO!”, opening into the opportunities where the real work can begin. 

Managing Anxiety and Stress

Often, students don’t have the emotional vocabulary to verbalize what they may be feeling. Perhaps there was an incident at school that they are still processing. What shows up in our session is a backpack tossed to the ground and arms crossed as they slump in the chair at the beginning of the session. This is not a student ready to work on decoding or test-taking skills! The ET may pull out two mandalas and some colored pencils, encouraging silent coloring together for a few minutes. Studies show that coloring mandalas reduces anxiety and stress levels and can have the same physiological responses in the brain as the act of meditating by reducing outside noise and allowing for focus.¹ This is a much better state of readiness for learning!

Drawing, doodling, and the visual arts like painting enhance fine motor skills and promote visual-spatial skills². These are skills that improve penmanship and writing. Drawing is also the simplest way to access the non-verbal emotions our students may be processing throughout the day and carry into any given session. A few minutes spent in a three-drawing exercise (Draw Self, Draw self with problem, Draw self with problem solved) may help a student express feelings or a problem they don’t yet have words for, allowing them to shift their focus to the session. Or more time may be spent on problem-solving and communication skills if that’s what’s needed.

Tactile Learning

Perhaps a student becomes stuck or frustrated during a session. One of the best breaks from intellectual, cognitive work is a switch to tactile, sensory learning, like when using modeling clay. This can provide rhythmic, bilateral, and repetitive movements, increasing dexterity. Sculpting with clay has also been found to alter brain-wave activity in such a way as to induce a calmer and more reflective state.¹ Making a quick pinch pot, making a favorite animal, or creating an alien may be the break that’s needed!

Everyone one of our students has their own individual set of needs and goals. By utilizing the arts in our sessions, our Educational Therapists and Clinicians are better able to meet our students where they are in each and every session, working with them to achieve their academic goals. Learn more about Educational Therapy and some commonly asked questions.

Written by Christine Strena, MEd, ET/P