ART HEALS...

A number of years ago while living in West Hollywood, I had the pleasure of teaching a private arts program for children ages 3-13 through the Park LaBrea Center for The Arts. The curriculum I created was loosely based off Harvard University professor, Howard Gardner’s “Theory of Multiple Intelligences,” as proposed in his book “Frames of Mind,” which I first read while a student. Actually all of his subsequent books on this subject were equally intriguing.

                                    

The book was a fascinating journey into the mind that profiled the many different human “intelligences” invoked in the way in which we learn, including visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical, logical/mathematical, etc. Very simply put, the idea was to improve the way we teach children by homing in on the unique ways each of us learn. The theory basically challenged a staid educational system that assumes we all process information in the same way, which obviously is ridiculous and helps account for the personal reasons why some us look forward to college and others drop out of high school.  

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Gardner proposed that by allowing children to identify with their own unique affinity or aptitude towards one or more of these intelligences, and by subsequently tailoring a learning program towards that particular intelligence, the result would be not only instilling confidence and self-esteem, but also sparking an interest and desire to learn.

One of my personally most memorable events during this time was volunteering my services and some of the curriculum I had developed for the LA-based organization, “Free Arts for Abused Children.” The organization serves the needs of the thousands of children from ages 2 to 18 in the Los Angeles area, who have experienced abuse, neglect, poverty, hopelessness and homelessness – situations no child should ever have to endure. 

The group is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization that aims to reach out to these children through the use of a language that crosses all barriers – Art. 

Last year, the organization’s “Free Arts Day” festivals served 5073 local children from residential facilities, domestic violence shelters, low-income housing communities, and family resource centers. “We serve where the need is greatest and in areas where we feel our programs will have the most impact.”  

My personal experience with this group was life-altering, but you don’t have to be an artist or arts educator to volunteer your time or contribute sponsorship, you just have to care.

For more information: http://www.freearts.org/

Free Arts for Abused Children

5301 Beethoven Street, Suite 102

Los Angeles, CA 90066