Professional Development Activity Undertaken Including How the Need Was Identified

Final Report

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY UNDERTAKEN INCLUDING HOW THE NEED WAS IDENTIFIED.

The bursary enabled me to attend the XVIII SIPE International Congress hosted by the Northern Ireland Group for Art as Therapy (NIGAT) and the School of Education, Queen’s University Belfast. The main theme of the Congress was “Creative Transformation”. As a member of NIGAT and a qualified Art Therapist the conference provided me with an ideal opportunity to update my knowledge and practice of Art as Therapy in a classroom environment.

THE OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF IMPROVED PRACTICE BY THE TEACHER.

Greater teacher understanding in the relationships between expression, creation and art and current national and international research in the field of psychiatry and art therapy, psychoanalysis, psychology and sociology.This has reinforced my knowledge of the therapeutic process and I incorporate this in my approach to teaching. A classroom environment which is relaxed yet disciplined together with schemes of work which are organised yet flexible promote personal creativity and good relationships.

THE OUTCOMES OR BENEFITS OF THE ACTIVITY IN TERMS OF IMPROVEMENTS IN PUPILS’ LEARNING EXPERIENCES.

In general children often have difficulty in expressing their feelings verbally. The process of art provides the child with a less problematic, more spontaneous means of communication.Emotional and behavioural problems are usually linked together and both aspects of the child’s experience must be worked with. Workshops and lectures I attended at the conference emphasised how vital it was to allow children to make decisions and direct their own work.

HOW THE SUCCESS OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY HAS BEEN/WILL BE EVALUATED.

I am able to evaluate the success of the activity by observing the power art has to bring about change in individuals and groups. Since art encourages self-expression, release of stress and fostersa sense of identity and self-esteem, assessment,both academic and behavioural is ongoing.

HOW THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES GAINED WILL BE SHARED WITH OTHER TEACHERS.

There is a culture within our school of sharing good practice and I benefit greatly from the school management style wherein all staff are involved in policy and decision making. We also hope to re-establish the art and design cluster group within special schools in the board area.

REFLECTION BY THE TEACHER ON THE VALUE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ACTIVITY.

It has been a privilege to be part of this conference given the range of presentations:- papers, workshops, performances, panels and posters and the variety of participants. I would like to highlight the following as being particularly useful. One paper treating children for traumatic stress focused on how art therapy helps the children and their trauma and the secondary trauma experienced by people that work with the traumatised child.The interactive experiential workshop on the use of art in family therapy offered an opportunity to try out an art therapy technique while exploring common issues in family therapy work.

I would like to thank my principal Mr William Dale for his encouragement and flexibility at the beginning of a term to enable me to attend this conference.

FUTURE PLANS/SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

Links have been established between the various specialists. Maintained contact will enable the valuable sharing of ideas and skills.

In particular I hope to find out more about diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in the use of art therapy with ADHD.