Personal development for educators through socially engaged art

Abstract

This research proposes a strategy whereby educators are given opportunities for personal development within the school system in the quest of enriching their personalities in different areas such as social and emotional learning, mindfulness, and creativity. To reach these personal development goals, a socially engaged art project is serving as a vehicle to explore these specific areas. Through group discussions and sharing of experiences, the researcher together with the participants explores these topics through a creative process in an unprejudiced space for critical thinking and co-learning. To test this hypothesis, a hybrid of methodologies consisting of qualitative methods as well as arts based research is being employed. Several interviews are carried out with various educators based in different schools, namely local state schools, church schools and independent schools. Concurrently, the researcher holds a number of sessions and a focus group with nine participants in a local middle school to discuss and work on personal development goals through a creative approach. The data collected in the arts-based research informs the aesthetic project which embellishes a specific area in the school with a mural and a small community garden. Findings confirm the importance of having a personal development plan for educators to enrich their persona and reach a higher state of well-being. As a result of this SEA project, the participants feel an element of transformation in some of the areas that we discussed, and this has a positive impact on their personal and professional life. Some of the participants feel a shift in their pedagogical style to a more holistic one that promotes emotional intelligence and creative thinking among other areas. Based on the idea of building upon educators’ pre-existing qualities as well as awakening their urge for acquiring new knowledge, this project aspires to provide a platform where educators of various roles connect, discuss, create, and critically engage in their school community. Finally, this project hopes to bring more awareness among policymakers about the importance of investing in educators’ well-being, skills, and ideas. Based on participant educators’ suggestions and recommendations, a number of ideas and methods that could be implemented in school systems to facilitate personal growth, support educators’ well-being and encourage more engagement in creativity are presented in the final chapter.