- Southwest Cooperative
- Information about Art Therapy
Melissa Ferriter
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The Diminishing Role of Art in Children's Lives
The role of drawing in enhancing childhood development has been acknowledged since art education first became a part of public-school curricula in the Commonwealth states in 1870. A wealth of research has shown a strong link between the scribbles of preschoolers and their early stages of written language and reading. Drawing also helps prepare children for success in other subject areas, including explaining and communicating mathematical reasoning, which assists in their comprehension and communication of math concepts, according to an analysis by the California State University, Chico, professors Susan Steffani and Paula M. Selvester.
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5 Things I Learned from my Art Therapist About Autism
1) Art Therapy is very different from doing "arts and crafts"
2) Art is a communication tool
3) Art is a self-regulation tool
4) Process is more important than the product
5) Art provides an opportunity to truly be with our kids. -
Why Art Therapy Works
As an approach to mental health, art therapy has heavily relied on expert opinion rather than actual evidence via various forms of research.