Although the Alt Art programme seems to be good in theory, there are some issues that have arisen throughout my research regarding how it could be implemented into the current education system in New Zealand. The main issues that have arisen so far are outlined below:
The risk of untrained and unqualified therapists
One of the main problems that could arise within this education model would be that of the importance of Alt Art staff having been sufficiently trained and having gained suitable qualifications. This is not limited to training within Education but is also necessary in Counselling and Art Therapy especially. Teachers need to know how to educate the programmes' young people at their appropriate levels, but also need to be aware of behavioural, mental, physical, and emotional issues on a daily basis. The majority of the students coming to the program are struggling (as outlined above) and need unique care.
Appropriate training, knowledge and experience within art therapy is extremely important, and art therapy can be quite difficult if not performed professionally. According to ANZATA, 2017, “Untrained Art Therapists can do damage” (ANZATA, 2017a, para.5). ANZATA believe it is “critical” that they highlight how dangerous art therapy can be - unless performed by a qualified, approved practitioner.According to Westwood’s, 2009, summary of Springham's, “Through the eyes of the law: What is it about art that can harm people?”, highlights a specific case in the UK which took an ugly turn but helps to clarify the need for qualified and experienced therapists. The practitioner in question had several years of counselling experience under their belt, and had completed “two short courses which had the words ‘art therapy’ in their title” (p.1). During a treatment session that included a bereaved patient with a history of substance abuse, the group were asked to “portray all of the bad things in their lives, the guilt they felt about what they had done and everything negative into the drawing of an animal.” The troubled patient then proceeded to draw a “hyena with blood coming from its mouth, representing a scavenger with no conscience or morals”. Sharing this image with the group resulted in the patient becoming extremely angry and distraught. In an effort to continue the treatment session, the patient was then asked what they would like to say or do to the animal drawing. After expressing the need to “swear and rip it up, punch and smash it” the practitioner “encouraged him to express himself and go with the feeling”. This triggered a torrent of uncontrolled action where the client punched and head butted the image trying to destroy the picture. In this act the client injured himself resulting in partial tetraplegia” (p.2). Although this is an extreme example, Springham, 2008, suggests it is not uncommon and clearly illustrates the need for highly qualified therapists to be working with young, troubled adolescents.
Staff Resilience
Along with correct experience and qualifications, educators involved in the Alt Art programme will need to be very confident and have a strong sense of self. They would need to be strong of character, resilient and able to work within high risk situations almost daily. Their level of professionalism is important, respect for the programme and students, and a high level of confidentiality needs to be practiced at all times. Staff may come across violence and verbal abuse from both students and parents, and will need to be able to act appropriately in these serious situations. Simple first aid and self-defence courses would need to be built into the programme to help prepare all educators.Putting it simply, the staff needed, will need to be sufficiently qualified in Education, Counselling and Art Therapy. “There is an expectation that therapists will be able to assess and offer treatment that would not take a client beyond their tolerance for heightened emotional states” (Westwood, 2009, p.2). With a possible background in Psychology, up-to-date first aid skills, self-defence training, and sufficient experience with troubled adolescents is needed. Surely this then, is a specialist position, that could quite possibly be quite difficult to fill. Could it be that since Alternate Education already exists successfully today without art therapy - it is then the very act of adding art therapy to this field that is causing the Alt Art model to start hitting barriers here?
Funding
Marist receives approximately $17,000 per student each year from the Ministry of Education (Skelton, 2015), and say it is just not enough “It’s not enough to fund one teacher per four students for the food, transport, technology and activities the kids need for a fair shot” (para.66-67). Marist regularly self-funds and staff are regularly applying for grants and funding where they can, while generous community organisations pitch in too. The Ministry of Education funds almost 2000 Alternative Education centres throughout New Zealand which in turn, “costs the government a total of $21 Million a year” (para.70).
If Auckland’s Marist, is having to go over and above the funds allocated to them by the government, then surely they are not receiving enough. This could also indicate that many Alternative Education providers throughout the country are also struggling to make ends meet for their students and staff. This also brings up another issue, where could an Art Therapist fit into all of this? With their necessary space needed, extra resources, and potentially larger salary? The position would have a severe element of volunteering to it, salary would be low and it would not be the kind of position someone who’s heart wasn’t in it for the right reasons could fit. Money could never be a factor, a position like this would have to go to someone who is passionate and dedicated to making a difference in New Zealand's young people’s lives.
Resources and Location
With lack of funding comes lack of resources. As seen above with Auckland’s Marist centre, many Alternative Education programmes are digging into their own pockets to be able to purchase resources such as gym equipment and iPads for their classes. Sponsors and regular donations or fundraising from the community helps aid the little the government does fund, but it is quite clear that it really is not enough to be able to run a centre they way most would like to. This does mean that resources are slim, but together with the community and creative minds, a model like Art Alt can be taken to the street and simple steps taken to be able to create in an artistic way. For an example, an approved mural space out in the street could be sponsored by a local paint company such as Resene for Mitre 10 Mega. It is not uncommon for companies like this to come on board, supply paint, brushes, and graffiti guard as long as the artists include their logo or mention their name at the base of the artwork. Other resources could be sourced from printing companies who are recycling paper and card, or other companies that may have plastic objects and recycling waste that could be used for sculptures. In saying this, examples like this sound rather easy to obtain and organise but on a daily basis, constantly adapting tasks for The New Zealand Curriculum could still prove difficult if the resources aren’t abundant. The very act of sourcing material and planning lessons or units around limited resources could be a large strain on the education staff as it may at times be very difficult compared to a mainstream school with art, photography, printing rooms and resource rooms stacked full of all the paper, paint and tools any teacher requires. Learning to teach on a very limited budget over a long period of time and still being able to make the most for the students would be very difficult and at times, almost impossible.Together with funding and resources, another rather tough part of providing for Alternative Education students is that of simply finding a classroom to work in. Local churches, resource centres, YMCA’s and town halls can be hired out but at a cost. Many places may not want the type of children Alternative Education is teaching ‘hanging out’ around their establishments. As all Alternative Education centres are associated or connected to a local school, they can often find a classroom or space through the school itself. Keeping the kids away from the very schools they were expelled from is probably a better idea though and keeping them central and out of harm’s way where they feel safe and accepted is important.
Accommodating for a broader age range
Alternative Education currently only caters for students; years 9-11. Why does the Ministry of Education not cater for years 12 and 13? To be able to carry on through NCEA level 2 and 3 would be a real accomplishment. Is it that the students, after getting back on their feet and maybe obtaining NCEA Level 1, re-enter school to finish Level 2 and 3? Or is it that they are then seen at Year 12 to be old enough to leave school entirely and look for employment instead? Is this encouraging life-long learning? Surely that isn’t the road we are encouraging them to take? Or is it our only option when even Alternative Education hasn’t succeeded?
Curriculum
The New Zealand Curriculum applies to all students in schools, “irrespective of their gender, sexuality, ethnicity, belief, ability or disability, social or cultural background, or geographical location” (Ministry of Education, 2007, p.6). The Alt Art programme also holds this non-discriminatory view, highlighting the need for alternative means of education and opportunities for students who can’t thrive or function successfully in a mainstream school atmosphere.Many of the visions, principles, values and key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum are all also integrated within the Alt Art and Alternative Education programmes - including:
“Our vision is for young people:
- who will be creative, energetic, and enterprising…
- who, in their school years, will continue to develop values, knowledge, and competencies that will enable them to live full and satisfying lives…
- who will be confident, connected, actively involved, and lifelong learners…
- confident – positive in their own identity…
- connected – able to relate well to others, effective users of communication tools, connected to the land and environment, members of communities…
- lifelong learners – critical and creative thinkers, active seekers, users and creators of knowledge” (Ministry of Education, 2007, p.8).
Putting students at the centre of teaching and learning is important, and these foundational principles for The New Zealand Curriculum run alongside Alt Art’s principles also. Having high expectations, teaching children how to learn, encouraging whānau, family, and community support, the Treaty of Waitangi, cultural diversity, and the drive to continue learning past the school years are the same. The fact that the Ministry of Education, 2007, states that the curriculum is inclusive, “non-sexist, non-racist, and non-discriminatory” (p.9) really resonates with the Alt Art programme and its passion in giving all students a second chance.
The values that are to be encouraged within mainstream schools through the curriculum are also strong foundations from which Alt Art and Alternative Education is run. Some of the values that Ministry of Education, 2007, encourages throughout The New Zealand Curriculum that are also upheld and encouraged by the Alt Art programme include:
Treaty of Waitangi and Tātaiako
Because the Alt Art programme is designed to fit around The New Zealand Curriculum, extending the opportunity for troubled teens to further their education outside of expulsion or exclusion, it is only right that Alt Art sits in partnership with the Treaty of Waitangi as The New Zealand Curriculum does. The Alt Art programme recognises the Treaty of Waitangi principles and strives to respect and encourage all Te Reo and to apply Māori pedagogies throughout the programme. Simple Maori pedagogies that are evident in the above radical model and that can be encouraged furthermore include:- Encouraging Kotahitanga (unity),
- Showing Manaakitanga (respect, care, hospitality) to one another,
- Exercising and providing Ahurutanga (safety),
- Strong Whanaungatanga (relationships) with friends, family and teachers,
- Encouraging Te Hiringa (passion) within creativity and schoolwork,
- Respect for Mana Whenua (Belonging to the land), our place in this world and our community,
- Encourage Hauroa (well-being) in themselves and caring for others,
- Ako (learning) collaborative learning and teaching.
This also includes the importance of the cultural competencies of Tātaiako and the constant learning all teachers must integrate into their educational practice. This is vital in Alternative Education as the statistics above have indicated the level of Māori and Polynesian young people who are being expelled, stood down, or excluded is substantial. It is important to be able to respect and relate to student’s diverse language and culture, and encourage this throughout their art and creative expression.
Assessment
The Ministry of Education, 2007, states that “the primary purpose of assessment is to improve students’ learning” (p.39) and the current curriculum model leaves a vast amount of room for teachers to be flexible with what they teach. This is fantastic for Alt Art educators as they can cater for the higher needs of the students in Alternative Education. The main goal is to help students from year 9-11 to prepare and work towards NCEA. Once again as mentioned above, as Alternative Education is only funded for students’ years 9-11, this then means that NCEA Level 1 is the main goal, when there is no reason why years 12 and 13 can’t be included with NCEA Levels 2 and 3 and worked towards also. Of course there may be some cases where NCEA Levels 2 and 3 are able to be obtained for younger, especially talented Alternative Education students. Surely these would be few and far between given the above previously covered data but certainly not completely ruled out. Striving and achieving high academic standards is part of the programme and is also part of The New Zealand Curriculum.
Graduating Teachers Standards and Code of Ethics
Alt Art is designed to work alongside and using The New Zealand Curriculum, so there are many similarities to how it is managed. As for the Graduating Teacher Standards and Code of Ethics, each element can be applied to the Alt Art programme, helping teachers to be professional and of a high standard. It gives educators many opportunities to practice these standards and can help them to continue to progress in their professional careers in education. Keeping in mind the four fundamental principles: autonomy, justice, responsible care and truth, in putting the learner’s achievements and needs first, educators can focus on being professional and working within the standard guidelines for success. Not only for personal teaching careers but for each and every student that pass through the Alt Art programme.
Alt Art has been developed as a creative enhancement to the already existing Alternative Education system in play today, so together with government standards, ethics, assessments, and Tātaiako, this radical model is designed to simply slot into the current system to enhance it creatively. Therefore, curriculum, code of ethics, and teaching standards, should all apply to this programme for it to function in the current education system successfully.
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