Educators and students have experienced unprecedented challenges and trauma resulting from two years of pandemic-driven stress and disruption. Now more than ever, it’s important to engage in meaningful dialogue about these issues and seek out innovative ways to promote emotional wellbeing in schools.  

Lindsey Vance, Visual Arts Manager for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), and Tacy explore the relationship between creative expression and its profound ability to improve student and educator wellbeing. As licensed counselor and board-certified art therapist, Lindsey shines a light on the programs DCPS offers that help educators cultivate more compassionate classroom environments for students in addition to addressing trauma behaviors and symptoms. In addition, Lindsey shares how DCPC Arts curriculum has empowered students through creativity and digital tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud, to help them develop their voice, as well as critical problem solving and communication skills.  

Connect with Tacy on Twitter @tacytrow and Lindsey on LinkedIn @lindseyvance. We’d love to hear from you. 

Resources 

Learn more about DCPS Arts projects and its unique mission to teaching arts education. 

Read about DCPS’ partnership with the Pulitzer Center, which enables students to build digital literacy while capturing the essence of their community through photo essay assignments. 

Bring more creativity to your classroom and assignments with Adobe Express for Education.

Help students develop and practice growth mindset through these free activities.