| I recently did a poetry and art workshop at a local | | | | administration were thoroughly impressed with the |
| high school with two groups of students who were | | | | efforts that this notorious group of troubled students |
| labelled as "behavioural" kids. The students ranged in | | | | had made throughout the art workshop as well as |
| age from 14-16 and were also of various cultural | | | | with the creative products that they had produced. |
| backgrounds. | | | | The poetry and art workshop had made it apparent |
| The students were like many other kids their age in | | | | that the students merely needed an outlet of |
| that they were at times loud and disruptive especially | | | | expression. They needed a platform to speak their |
| when distracted by their friends. | | | | minds in a constructive way. |
| I was warned that the students would be a difficult | | | | For a brief moment the poetry and art workshop |
| group and was told that the teachers were unsure | | | | had eclipsed public perceptions about these students |
| of what kinds of results they would be able to | | | | as being "behavioural" – instead they had become |
| produce when participating in the workshop. | | | | thoughtful students who were able to channel their |
| However, I was optimistic because I had worked | | | | thoughts and ideas into engaging forms of creative |
| with other groups of students who had been labelled | | | | expression. |
| as "troubled or behavioural" students. Both art | | | | When given the opportunity, these students were |
| workshops were admittedly challenging along the | | | | able to use art and poetry to (if only for an |
| way but in the end produced encouraging results. | | | | afternoon) become successful students in the eyes |
| The focus of the art workshop was to have the | | | | of teachers and administrators but more importantly |
| students create poetry based on how they see | | | | they were able to contribute to their own personal |
| themselves as individuals as well as how others | | | | success by enhancing their own perceptions of |
| perceive them based on gender, culture, race, etc. | | | | themselves. |
| The resulting poetry was striking, revealing, | | | | Art workshops can act as a vehicle of expression for |
| thoughtful and creative. In the end, it became | | | | youth who often feel as though their voices are |
| apparent that the students had used the art | | | | stifled and made to seem less important. They can |
| workshop as a platform to express their voices in a | | | | help to challenge the thoughts, feelings and ideas |
| meaningful way. | | | | which sometimes are expressed inappropriately if |
| The second part of the art workshop involved | | | | they do not have a proper forum of expression. |
| creating masks that were unique and creative | | | | Poetry and art workshops can provide children who |
| representations of themselves – each student's | | | | can be grouped as having behavioural problems with |
| mask was then mounted beside their poems. The | | | | an opportunity to express the beauty, truth and |
| finished products that resulted from the art | | | | wisdom that lies within. |
| workshops were remarkable. The teachers and | | | | |