Bridget Matros

More Than Crafty Chaos—Afterschool Art Matters!

Posted by Bridget Matros, Sep 21, 2016 0 comments


Bridget Matros

As an informal art educator, the Studio Habits of Mind are my guiding stars. I want to do whatever I can to nurture these most valuable capacities in every kid, artist or not. I know most art teachers also want their students to be flexible, confident, and expressive innovators ... but with really limited time, they are pressed to prioritize the other half of the art-education equation: equipping students with the basic concepts and skills of visual art.

Enter the afterschool art club. Not only can such programs nurture the creativity of kids without art education in school, but afterschool art enrichment is a powerful complement to classroom learning, allowing the seeds planted in art class to grow and flourish over time. Put another way, informal art education is the practicum for the young artist-in-training! 

"Everyone should have art because everyone's got different kinds of smarts. This is what I'm best at and I just get to go for it and be awesome here." —Savanna, young artist

In addition to reinforcing what kids are learning in art class (by way of actually talking to local teachers), here are a few other things that set the scene for creative development and artistic growth in my afterschool programs:

Expressive safety (JFZ = Judgement Free Zone)

Kids are assured it’s a safe place to try things, mess-up, and be themselves. No “spying” on others’ work, no feedback unless requested—there’s a much-loved “Share” time for that. A small group size of around twelve artists makes for a tight-knit, supportive “family” where confidence soars. 

“Some people feel that their artwork isn't worthy of being in front of people and they're afraid. For me this was a stepping stone where I could really let myself be free." —Katie, student

Structure and Ritual

Even in a drop-in studio format, kids need help transitioning from school/bus/recess/personal drama into a lower gear where they can relax and get into “the zone.” I have found that kids as old as 13 would recreate “Share” and closing circles when I thought they’d outgrown it or it felt too formal for a given format. It works!

Visual Order

Along the same lines, chaos of any kind isn’t conducive to creativity for most. On a practical level, kids need to be able to SEE materials available to them without being overwhelmed. Although we think of kids as being into mess and funkiness, time and again kids gravitate toward visual order—crayons in a box versus a basket, markers facing one direction in color order versus random. A comfy space without a lot of visual clutter is tricky to maintain but worth it!

“I really like the fact that all the tools that I need are right where I need them. I come in here with an idea, I can just ask for what I need and then build it. When I come in here I can just think: ‘Let’s DO this!!’” —Elias, student

Quiet and Calm

Kids entering the program fill out an “Artist’s Bio” form, which asks “what works for them.” Nine out of ten kids say they need quiet to be creative! I play whatever music seems “neutral” to the group, from Bob Marley to ambient bamboo flute, and set an example of respecting artists at work by giving space and not interrupting with chit-chat. 

Bridge is a calming place kids like Ethan need that is not found in school. ... Autism makes socializing and personal expression difficult—art is his expressive world and this has helped him make his world available to everyone in the most awesome way. He knows how to express his thoughts, feelings and most importantly, himself.” —Sue, grandparent

A Leave-It-At-The-Door Policy

I have a no gossip/no drama policy. Originally, this was for my own sake, but students really enjoy not only being free from the stress of the “outside world”, but also the freedom to start new when they walk in the door. They aren’t the bad kid, the LD kid, the loser, the bully, the girlfriend—they are artists.

“[These kids] have challenges in school and at home. [As low income kids] they don’t have anything like this and they need it most. ... As the year went on they just blossomed—especially their self esteem.” —Ms. Haines, middle school teacher

Artist-Directedness

This is kind of obvious, but the kids want to do their own thing! However, without some structure, kids succumb to overwhelm, or fail to achieve “flow” and are checking the clock. With kids under 12, I start with a structured hour, then “free draw.” The opposite schedule seems to work for older kids. Artists who are really into what they are doing on keep going, while those losing steam gather around for a requested tutorial or a project idea from my Pinterest board. They love the fact that if they lose interest or are struck by inspiration, they can say, “never mind, I want to do something else.”

The teacher let do whatever we wanted in art—we get to use our own ideas, too, not just do what everyone has to do the same like art class. The best thing was the friendship and the awesome work that’s so different [from each other’s]. WE ARE THE BEST!” —Kaleb, student

Recognition/ Contact with the Community

Every teacher knows how critical reflection is. While closing circle offers a chance for that, I’ve found that having a blog or a Facebook page to post to is a super informal way for kids to articulate highlights from their afternoon while connecting to the outside world. I’ve made sure local artists subscribe to our Facebook page and they are happy to give young artists the thumbs-up! Connecting kids to the local art scene is one of the tenets of our program, and the increased sense of “mattering” and belonging in the community is an easy win.

“It’s fun meeting all these artists and sharing my art in the community. They really want us to keep going, and donate stuff so we can keep doing our art!” —Olivia, student

For more information about afterschool art programs at Waterfall Arts in Belfast, Maine, click here or send me an email about starting your own program! Cheers!

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