Hierarchy within a school

I've been thinking a lot about working with children in art therapy as this will be my client group however I am yet to begin my placement properly. I have started there but I haven't started working therapeutically. This is a frustration within my placement as it was organised late, another element which is out of my control. On the positive side it has enabled me to do more research on working with children before I do so and has also given me more time in working on my personal art practice. The negative side to not really beginning my placement is that I cannot write about any experiences here and I fear this will disadvantage me but I guess I can only write my thoughts on this.

After having my first full day on placement I already got ‘told off’ by a teacher as I let the children in my creative (non therapy) group wear a few stickers on their uniform. The teacher said if they are going to take stickers out they can but if they could them in a book instead that would be better. This made me feel like a child in the school where there is an obvious hierarchy. I don’t know where I as a trainee therapist sit within this hierarchy. It feels like I’m not a teacher so I’m a child but of course I don’t want to get trapped into this way of thinking but if I’m truly honest this is how I felt when that teacher spoke to me. I feel on the outside at the moment but I hope this changes as time goes on. I am aware that my experiences on placement will bring up memories for me from my childhood. In this case being 'told off' by that teacher made me feel like I was back at Primary School, bringing back feelings of insecurity and not belonging. I do feel like I don't belong at the school but I know this is because it is only early days. This makes me consider my schooling, friendship groups and how I usually stay on the outside looking in, I'm finding through writing this blog that I am definitely more of an observer... again something I will take to personal therapy.

I read a book about art therapists settling into the school environment, which is of high value to me. The author Moriya (2000) explains how therapists must fit into the framework of the school in order to succeed. I will take advice from her and try to connect more with the teachers and other staff in the school.

Working as an art therapist in education interests me greatly as I know this is currently a growing employment area for therapists.

Bibliography

Moriya, D (2000) Art Therapy in Schools: Effective integration of art therapists in schools. Israel: Turbo