In January 2023, I went back to the Philippines with my ten year old son to visit relatives, where I had a chance to facilitate a two day Expressive Arts workshop for students in 2nd and 3rd grade, in our province, at a school named after my great-grandfather on my paternal side, called Graciano Paule Elementary School. Last time I taught in this school with the use of Expressive Arts was in January of 2018. Besides for my ancestral connection to this school, a mentor of mine once told me, “To know where you are going, you need to know where you are coming from.” I came from this school. I started my formal elementary public education in the 1st grade at this school; in which, in addition to the academic education I learned here, part of our responsibilities as students was to help keep our school clean.
With the approval of the Schools Division superintendent and the support of the education program supervisor for MAPEH, school principal, teachers involved, and my mentor Dr. Markus Scott-Alexander, I set up my workshop outside the classroom at the basketball court of the school. I taught students from three different classes. My research interest in Expressive Arts is how to increase the play range (Spielraum) of a group or individual by working with the Expressive Arts principle of limiting resources. My approach was the use of Expressive Arts in education at an outdoor classroom.
I brought some art supplies to use from the United States, and slowly started our creative process by painting with students with just three different colors. I was aware that the students have had their own different exposures in the ARTS, some may have been more engaged than others. By using three basic colors, I was hoping to lessen the feelings of the inability to create art or “not being an artist,” for those who might have been feeling this way. In Expressive Arts we engage our participants in a resource-oriented way and believe that the ARTS are open to everyone, connecting to the concept of low-skill/high sensitivity. As a facilitator, my intention was to help bridge the students from their everyday reality into the art making process. By working this way, all of the students were able to engage and just be playful with their paintings or artwork. As the students were able to feel more at ease in making art, it activated our imaginations and the rest of the workshop unfolded beautifully.
The students at this school also had such profound childlike characteristics about them that I felt helped tapped in more into their creativity and imagination. What moved me was how creative and respectful the students were. As we gotten to know each other, we were able to easily play more together. We played the childhood game of Bubuka ang bulaklak, where we come together in a circle and sing this childhood song together, then a player goes inside the circle, rotating with eyes closed, and whoever that player points at towards the end of the song, then becomes the next “it” player.
Throughout the two day workshop, we experimented with different modalities in the ARTS by painting, writing poetry, molding with playdough, singing children’s songs in the Kapampangan language, playing with movement, mask making, and group games. The students were encouraged to create in various ways in a very supportive environment.
What I learned is that even with the limitation of art supplies available to use, we were able to become resourceful and expand the way we created art and played together. The space we were in and the school community also helped to shape our art making process. The beauty that was brought by our creative process and the artworks of the students, connected us further, and enabled us to express and understand our everyday reality, and crystallizing the many possibilities of creating a better future.
I am very grateful for the opportunity I was given at this school. Like the colorful artworks our students made, it brought colors into my life. I carry this experience in my heart. The students here dared to be seen passed their difficulties and more into the beauty of their creations, potentials, intelligence, joy and determination.
Lastly, as an expressive arts facilitator, what showed up for me was that I felt guided throughout the workshop. It was an honor to follow through the steps of my great-grandfather. While I was facilitating the workshop, I was able to see myself in the eyes of those children. I was that young kid who did not have much, but my imagination and just creating things that were made from what was available to me, such as nature pieces. I have also been taught early on how important education is; perhaps knowing this school exist is a reminder of that. I have never met my great-grandfather, I believe I was not born yet when he passed away, but standing on the ground he owned and donated to help pioneer a school for our community, I felt his kind spirit and presence. I personally believe that my great-grandfather intended for this school to be a public school, by that it means, it is owned by the people and for the children of our community here. I have also learned while facilitating, that besides for my two aunts and cousin who are teachers at this school, that the current school principal is my grandmother. On the other side, it is often hard for me to understand the dynamic of my family, how it has so much good, but also dysfunctions. The gift of being a facilitator is many times as you engage others in the art making process, you are able to reflect on your being. My experience here taught me the meaning of belonging in ways that still has room to be explored. I hope to be able to continue my work at this school, whether in small ways, or as they say in expressive arts, by trusting in the emergence of it. Thank you again to those who have made this Expressive Arts workshop possible and for the mentorship I received. Until we meet again! Salamat!
Reference: Knill, Levine and Levine (2005) Principles and Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Maria Paule Delos Reyes is an Expressive Arts Therapist/Facilitator/Artist living in San Marcos, California. She received her BA in Visual and Performing Arts at CSUSM and studied at the European Graduate School in Switzerland were she earned her Master of Arts in Expressive Arts Coaching and Consulting.