I am excited that Alex wanted to start this project. He encourages peers who are struggling with emotion or behaviors to draw, color or write to express their emotions in a more positive manner. He provides leadership and helps peers find a positive outlet for negative emotions and behaviors.
After our first successful project, my students were excited and intrigued to provide more opportunities for our class. As a class we decided that art supplies were a much needed addition to our classroom. Our student mentor Alex, volunteered to take a survey and see what items the students felt would be most beneficial. Alex next did online research to see which items would be most beneficial for art therapy and could be utilized as a coping skill for students who struggle in class. Through this process Alex has discovered an interest in teaching and art. He has learned empathy and patience with students who struggle with special needs. He hopes to become a Special Education Teacher in the future. I love that this project and aiding in class has helped him develop a career goal for his future.
Our school is based in a therapy program. This means that many of our students struggle with emotional and behavioral needs. Art therapy will help teach them new methods for coping skills and help them to develop create, positive means to express their emotions. Students will learn through hands on experience how to create their emotions on paper or how to turn a lump of clay into their favorite animal. This will help them develop their problem solving skills which will benefit them in their future classes and careers. Art also teaches students accountability. They learn from their mistakes and are able to expand their ability. They will learn how their art can affect others as well. The materials you help us receive will open doors that were otherwise unreachable.
In Their Own Words
We would like to receive art supplies in our classroom to promote stress relieving activities in our free time. Both our teachers support and promote art therapy for us in class. For example; when a peer got upset and walked out of class due to rising anxiety, our teacher used an art project to allow him to calm down and refocus. We are trying to help our class peers express their school anxiety in an appropriate manner.
The students in my school struggle a lot with anxiety and anger. My teachers and I try to help to provide art activities and coloring pages for our class. By having more art supplies in our class the stress relieving tactics are endless. The leaders in my class find it relaxing to do the art therapy as well. It helps us create independence and provides our class a chance to express ourselves safely and appropriately. It helps all of us cope with anxiety and negativity.
This project is important to my class because we are trying to reduce anger and anxiety in the classroom by providing an opportunity to use art therapy as a coping skill. It is also important because we're in a residential academy. We have a large variety of special education needs here and this kind of coping skill is almost a mandatory type of utensil used for the Kinesthetic (hands on) learners. So having these utensils as an option would help solve the anger and anxiety issues in class.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Schaefer and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
