By Wendy McDonnell

The music was playing.  It was classical. The room was silent.  Twenty-seven little bodies were leaning over a plain white piece of paper.  Tools in hands and water ready.  Soon colours started to appear.  The energy in the room was vibrant, as were the colours being mixed silently.  Every interpretation, every experience was different. I sat down for the first time all day and watched.  The peace that was radiating from the room was stunning, and by just watching the creative process, I could feel a peace overcome my body as well.    I was amazed, but not near as much as those people poking their heads into the usual chaotic room in shock.  “It is so quiet in here,” was said loudly by all passer-bys.  The boisterous voices were enough to test any seven year old’s concentration.  Not a head moved.  Unbelievable.

This was the third class of the week that was painting their special “alone” place.  I finished reading them the book “Me, Alone, at the End of the World” by Schim Schimmel. Then all who wanted, shared with the class the place they go to be alone.  No video games or televisions.  No brothers or sisters or mothers or fathers.  We passed around the sharing feather and, one by one, they shared their alone places.  The majority were outdoors, or looking outdoors.  Some were in complete darkness, such as a closet or under a bed.  The openness of these children blew me away.  Unlike previous discussions, their reservations seemed to be pushed aside as each child shared a piece of them that no one really talks about any more.  That it was okay to be alone.

Not only is it okay to be alone, but it is a necessary part of children’s psychological development.   As Dr. Neufeld has stated, children need to be able to play alone in order to discover themselves.  If children are always inundated with others, they will eventually take on the persona of others and attach to them, instead of developing the self confidence in themselves that comes with being alone and developing unique likes and dislikes, gifts and attributes.

When I was a teenager, I would escape the chaos of my life and ride to the water.  There I would sit for hours staring at the waves, inspecting the rocks, and learning to express my inner voice.  I would practice singing to the beat of the crashing, writing by connecting with the simple life around me, or sketching the tiny crevasses between a rock.  Once I remember rehearsing my lines from a play balanced on rocks, tucked away from any spectators.  When I arrived at home, I was cleansed without really understanding why.

With research, I now understand the importance of quieting the mind: The importance of switching from the dominant left-brain to the creative right.  Inviting peace into our day is of utmost importance.  Studies have revealed the effect merely looking at a picture of a landscape has on heart rate and brain waves.  Capturing the picture that exists in the mind on paper is one of the most therapeutic remedies for any stress.   New research has also linked the reduction of ADHD symptoms in children who spend time outdoors.  So the question remains, why do we encapsulate our lives, and our children’s lives, in a concrete box?

I believe that we are afraid of the magic that exists within us all.  A few minutes a day harnessing the magic on paper, or just by clearing the mind will allow our bodies to focus, to repair and to heal.  Tapping the endless potential that exists within us is necessary, especially, in a day of school.

My students produced work that was perfect.  It was perfect because it came from within.  And each student is perfect.  They know it.  And as Don Miguel Ruiz, the author of the Four Agreements, says, why do we spend so much time trying to convince them they are not?

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Articles by Wendy