a
Bev
IGE

Breaking Down Barriers

As community college faculty, many of us are aware
that a significant number of students enrolled in our
classes have emotional barriers to learning (EBTL).

I know that my discipline, art, often is the place
where students with EBTL find sanctuary. Many bright
students who are not achieving at their potential often
select art classes to avoid the so-called “tough” courses.
As an art educator, I have covertly addressed emotional
barriers to learning throughout my career.

In 1988 I took direct action. I requested a sabbatical
leave to pursue an additional master’s degree for the
training and credentials to address these barriers
directly and to provide students with a vehicle that
would help them help themselves.

Upon my return, | initiated a pilot program. Two
years have passed, and my program is showing signifi-
cant success.

Innovation

With the support of the Hagerstown Junior College
administration, I designed and implemented a model
using art therapy to address EBTL.

As the art therapist/educator, I receive referrals from
the Director of Counseling and the VSST Handicapped
Program Coordinator. | interview these referrals and
determine (1) their readiness to spend two to three
hours a week in individual or group settings, and (2)
their commitment to use art materials as the vehicles for
confronting their EBTL.

The model uses the semester format and adheres to
the strict confidentiality of therapy. The sessions are
held weekly for one-and-one-half to three hours,
depending on the number of participants. A maximum
of six participants work with one art therapist/educa-
tor. Both directive and nondirective art experiences are
provided during and between the sessions. Participants
contract with the art therapist and/or the group as part
of their commitment to work on issues that contribute
to their EBTL. Using a visual/ verbal model and a
diagram with words that sometimes are modified to
adapt to language skills, group members informally
learn visual language skills. The art becomes a concrete
tool (the record) to see how they move and develop

 

VOLUME XIII, NUMBER 15

)
an
© i
—
PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL .DEVELOPMENT (NISOD), COLLEGE OF EDUCATION,
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN « WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W. K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

through their personal process in addressing EBTL.
Both investment or potential for insight are essential in
this model.

The group setting provides each participant with a
nonthreatening environment in which to examine the
implications of EBTL. Members are affirmed for their
willingness to experiment with art materials, even
though most of them have indicated that they “cannot
draw a straight line” or “can barely draw a stick fig-
ure.” Learning that one does not have to be a talented
artist to express oneself visually and finding that self-
expression builds self-esteem naturally contribute to
overcoming or controlling EBTL.

Growth in self-esteem is accomplished by focusing
on the process of creating, while not being overly
concerned with the product. The setting is essential
because success is limited and ordered, while creative
actions are facilitated by the art therapist/educator.

The art therapy group members develop a visual
record of the history of the group experience, and they
have a supportive and contained setting in which to
take responsibility for becoming educated. The partici-
pants receive peer support when they try new behavior.
They are encouraged to develop and demonstrate
honest communication—both positive and negative. As
a result, they experience personal growth.

Identifying Students

Potential participants for the individual or group art
therapy experience are those students who have been
told or sometimes believe that they can be achieving
more and doing better in school. They generally have
no difficulty understanding life-related concepts or new
information, and they acknowledge their experienced
inability to do well in school.

Participants have been varied. A sample list of
participants includes (a) first-generation college stu-
dents, (b) Vietnam veterans, (c) adult survivors of
sexual assault and/or emotional and physical abuse,
(d) people sent for vocational rehabilitation, (e) indi-
viduals currently in therapy off campus and in need of
an anchor on campus, (f) adults with lifelong physical
and emotional disabilities that previously limited and/
or distorted their access to experiences in the formal
school setting, and (g) students who express fear of
education (such as taking tests, communicating with

 

 

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)
Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational Administration
College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

eer