Visual Arts Education and Child Abuse or Neglect - Research Paper Example

Visual Arts Education and Child abuse/neglect A [Pick the Introduction Child abuse is a black stigma on the face of the humanity. It remained part of the human society throughout history. Neglect, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and physical harm are included in the child abuse. Neglect means the constant failure of parents or guardians to provide basic necessities of life like food, clothing, medical facility and shelter to the children. If parents are in a position to provide care to a child, yet fail to do so, neglect is said to occur; although the concept will vary from one culture to another. Neglect may be physically or emotionally damaging for the child (Broadbent & Bentley, 1997). On the other hand, sexual abuse is meted out at the child by an adult by force, coercion or emotional black mailing. Children are physically abused by hitting hard, cigarette burns, female genital mutilation and other non-accidental injuries. Last but not the least; a child is emotional abused by the parents and care-givers through their behavior, glance and facial expression. Several studies reveal that among others, the art teacher is a person who can help an abused child to recover from the traumatic conditions. This help can be provided by paying special attention and helping abused children to express themselves in the various activities of arts. Characteristics of the Special Need Population (Child abused/neglected): During the course of research, I have found following common characteristics among the special need population: i. Impaired capacity to enjoy life ii. Opposition iii. Psychiatric symptoms, e.g. enuresis, tantrums, hyperactivity, bizarre behavior iv. Withdrawal v. Low self-esteem vi. Hyper-vigilance vii. School learning problems viii. Compulsivity ix. Pseudo-mature behavior Among above-mentioned common characteristics, many other personality and environment specific characteristics have also been found among special need population. Some of the children try to please adults without any apparent reason and justification. They take no interest in playing with toys instead they consider themselves as elders. Moreover, abused children always underestimate their capabilities and avoid taking initiatives due to the fear of punishment. This tendency later hinders their educational progress in schools. Abused child remain highly attentive in every situation. He used to keep his face immobile and impression-less; with a tendency of avoidance for eye contact. Fear of unknown and shyness have become the part of the victim child. He does not resort to childish behavior like cheerfulness, unnecessary smile and naughtiness. Aggressive behavior is a hallmark of the abused child. He does not play with his peers and instead hit them whenever he finds a chance. He constantly wanders from one place to another place aimlessly. Neglected child used to quarrel with other children over minor issues and scolded them with high tone and harsh rebukes. Most of the abused children face the communication problems. They do not use the language properly and fail to express their inner feelings. They use language only as a tool to avoid punishment and please their parents. Deficiency in linguistic skills further makes them pessimistic and introverted. They avoid various social situations and try their best to keep themselves aloof from the company of their age groups. Study of visual art and the needs of this population Ceramics, architecture, film making, drawing, video, painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking, crafts and designs are included in the study of visual arts. Visual arts have the capacity of healing especially for those children who have communication problems. It retrieves the pain of low-esteem, less-confidence and failure to take initiatives. Visual arts performed as a sand box for the abused children and they expressed their inner through varied expressions in the visual arts (Conerly, 1986). Keeping in view the services of arts in healing the patients, experts have devised a term, called ‘art therapy’. The British Association of Art Therapists defines art therapy as: “...a form of psychotherapy that uses art media as its primary mode of communication. It is practiced by qualified, registered Art Therapists who work with children, young people, adults and the elderly. Clients who can use art therapy may have a wide range of difficulties, disabilities or diagnoses. These include, for example, emotional, behavioral or mental health problems, learning or physical disabilities, life-limiting conditions, brain-injury or neurological conditions and physical illness. Art therapy may be provided for groups, or for individuals, depending on clients’ needs. It is not a recreational activity or an art lesson, although the sessions can be enjoyable. Clients do not need to have any previous experience or expertise in art.” Visual arts are the manifestation of the creative qualities of the students. The history the creative arts reveal that somehow abnormal or neglected persons can perform very well in the field of art. Therefore, by encouraging special needs students towards artistic work, art teachers can held to produce the finest artist in the society. The role of art teacher for special-need students The art teacher functions as an art therapist for the abused/neglected children. Helping students to overcome their inner conflicts and making them express their feeling regarding self, while facilitating their ability to implement change is the main responsibility of art or expressive teacher (Frostig & Essix, 1998). Art teacher consult the parents and devise a strategy for the recovery of the lost child while remaining within the resources provided by the management of the school. Neglected students need special attention from the teacher for their psychological recovery and in this connection the art teacher should focus his attention on the abused children. Art teachers can provide help in the following ways: (i) They fulfill the basic needs of neglected children with enthusiasm and warmth, (ii) Neglected children often remained anxious about their snakes and in this connection the art teacher can help him by providing safe place, (iii) Teachers can offer the roles of social mobilize to abused child and in this way confidence of the student can be built again. Tracy Kidder, after a detailed study, concluded: Good teachers usually have no way of knowing that they have made a difference in a childs life, even when they have made a dramatic one. But for children who are used to thinking of themselves as stupid or not worth talking to or deserving of rape and beatings, a good teacher can provide an astonishing revelation. A good teacher can give a child at least a chance to feel, "She thinks Im worth something. Maybe I am." Good teachers . . . redirect hundreds of lives. Many people find it easy to imagine unseen webs of malevolent conspiracy in the world, and they are not always wrong. But there is also an innocence that conspires to hold humanity together, and it is made of people who can never fully know the good that they have done (Kidler, 1989, pp. 312-313). The ‘safe class room’ (Knatrowtiz, 1988) is another concept in the modern day education system and it has special meanings for the neglected and abused children. Victimized children remain extra-attentive most of the time and even they cannot feel safe at their home. Constant feelings of attentiveness severely affected their envious system and mental faculties and hence they cannot pay full attention to curricular and extra-curricular activities. By providing safe environment to the students of special needs, the art teacher can help them to release their stress. In this connection, confidence building between the art teacher and victim student is a must. “The child is taking a significant step in trusting the teacher enough to tell what is happening. To betray that trust would repeat the betrayal experience when an adult abused the child and failed to serve as a protector. Even through the explanation may be fragmented, teachers should listen supportively and ask open-ended questions to fill in gaps. Sometimes after telling the secret, the child may recant the story due to fear, threats, or acceleration of the abuse” (Sgroi, 1982). Conclusion Art teachers have the potential to bring back the abused children to the mainstream life by employing modern psychological techniques. Art therapy is a successful tool discovered by the experts to meet the needs of neglected and abused children. By encouraging victimized children for the artistic expression, the creative capabilities of students can be polished. After expression of their anger in positive way through various forms of arts, abused children can get the psychological balance in their personality. Works Cited Broadbent, A. & Bentley, R. (1997), Child abuse and neglect Australia 1995-96 (Child Welfare Serial No. 17). Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Conerly, S. (1986). “Assessment of Suspected Child Sexual Abuse.” In Sexual Abuse of Young Children, edited by K. MacFarlane, pp. 30–51. New York: The Guilford Press. Frostig, K. & Essix, M. (1998). Expressive arts therapies in schools: A supervision and program development guide. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. Kidder, T. (1989). Among Schoolchildren. New York: Avon Books Kantrowitz, B. (December 1988). “A Tale of Abuse.” Newsweek, pp. 56-59. Sgroi, S., F. Porter, and L. Blick. (1982). “Validation of Child Sexual Abuse.” In Handbook of Clinical Intervention in Child Sexual Abuse, edited by S. Sgroi, pp. 39–79. Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books. Read More