During times of uncertainty, art can be a powerful means for students and parents to cope with frustration, anxiety, and stress, expressing themselves when words might not be enough. Art in many forms provides outlets for difficult emotions such as fear and anguish. Studies have shown that engaging in creative activities can lower cortisol levels, a hormone associated with stress. Please encourage students to sketch, create digital art, sing, dance, create sculpt, write poems, or just doodle daily. Arts can be meditative and therapeutic.
Engaging in creative activities helps students focus on the present moment and improves concentration. Furthermore, art can be an empowering tool for students who feel they don’t have a voice in other areas of their lives. Art also provides a medium to raise awareness about common issues in the student’s community, as well as turn their personal struggles into collective expressions and stories of hope. Students, therefore, will feel heard and connected with others sharing similar experiences.
Completing a piece of art, regardless of skill level, can give students a sense of accomplishment which boosts self-esteem and helps them feel more in control of their emotions and life. In a world where students may often feel the pressure to succeed, art allows them to create without the expectation of perfection. Through the act of creating, students can develop emotional resilience.
In conclusion, consider these two powerful quotes: “Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it” and “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”