Part I: Art Processes to Reduce Aggressive Behavior

"We need more counselors we can talk to, because at home, sometimes you don’t get love from a parent," - Elsa, a 16 yr. old high school student.

"I can get a check. I cannot get your time. And the check goes to pay people to spend time with your children." - Dave DeForest Stalls, founder of SPOT, a youth center in Denver, CO.

"We’re wondering what the solutions are, yet we fail to involve the key players...We walk through the hall of the school; we sit behind the desks. All of the rules apply to us; we know how the rules are being carried out, what is needed and what is not." - Ben Smilowitz, HS senior affiliated with International Student Activism Alliance.

1 - Lack of family involvement ( especially fathers) and other connections with adults.

2 - Direct experience of violence or witnessing violence.

3 - Unmet mental health needs including treatment for substance abuse & depression.

4 - History of suicide attempts.

5 - Lack of academic success, especially repeating a grade.

1 - Strong sense of religiosity.

2 - Parents who EXPRESS high expectations for behavior.

3 - Fair and consistent parenting style.

4 - Sharing family dinner four or more days every week.

1 - Social withdrawal.

2 - Problems with anger.

3 - Direct or indirect threats to self or others.

1 - Family Portrait: Poor attachment to the family is usually reflected by the client-artist either being distant from the primary caretaker or absent from the picture. Other indicators of dysfunctional family life are refusal to do the task, the inclusions of several pets or people not actually living in the home, and "heads only" representations.

2 - Favorite Kind of Day: Children who draw excessively inclement weather in response to this task are likely to be experiencing domestic violence.

3 - Stimulus Drawings and Techniques in Therapy / Rawley Silver (see resource list for ordering information)

4 - Design an Award for a Personal Achievement at School: Acknowledging that academic success is not just "good grades" but the subjective experience of the student. This task can help reveal how students are responding personally to their school experience. Children at risk would probably (a) refuse or avoid the task, (b) recognize performance that is not likely to inspire adult approval, or (c) design a nonspecific award (good student).

5. An art show by parents: Ask the parents to do collages about why they want their kids in school and what their hopes are for the school.

Art Tasks for the violent student:

1 - Ego Development: Flag

Directions to the student: Imagine that you are the leader of your own country. Design a flag for your country and construct it out of colored paper.

Note: If you know or suspect that you are working with Learning Disabled or Attention Deficit student, try using pre-made symbols. These could be commercial stickers, computer generated images, or pre-drawn images that could be traced.

2 - Victim Awareness: Picture Cards

Picture cards are made from a set of magazine / calendar pictures glued onto poster board. Have one of your students make a set that has a variety of images including people, animals, places.

Directions to the student: Pick a picture that reminds you of something you would have difficulty discussing. Put the picture you have chosen in your envelope (9 x 12 manilla). Decide to (1) Hide your envelope & say nothing OR (2) Write a word about your picture on the envelope & show the others only what you have written OR (3) Show your picture to the group & say nothing about it OR (4) Show your picture to the group and talk about it. - After everyone in the group has shared in the way he or she wishes, talk about how it would have felt to not have a choice...to be forced to share. Help your students to make the connection from feeling personally forced to the similar feeling that their victims feel.

3 - Recognizing personal risk factors: H.A.L.T. (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired)

Directions to the student: Make a drawing or a collage to illustrate each concept (hungry, angry, lonely, tired).

More extensive training is available in a full day format, please call for details.

There is an extensive resource list associated with this presentation. Please call to get one if you did not receive one with this handout.