Program / Event Details

March 11,17,18, and 19th
(Grades 4 or 5th)
4 days with students (8 students max)
(materials require fewer students for safety)
100 students maximum

Workshop Overview
Art Educator Andrea Sauer specializes in using art as a healing modality and will lead students through sessions of active listening with their peers, creating a safe space for feeling valued and heard, and students will contribute to creating a large mosaic heart. Intentional Creativity is practiced by indigenous cultures whereby art-making and the process of creating is used to gain insight and heal. The somatic practice of creating while reflecting on experiences and having a safe way to process them is a powerful way to be responsive instead of reactive to things that may normally feel triggering.It is a way for students to see the ways we overlap as humans and the universal nature of our experiences.
Sauer is currently employed by Talbot County Social Services and works with girls referred by the court system to use art and mindfulness as a way to process challenging life situations and events.
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A bit about me—-
I taught for twenty years in public education teaching art although often doubling as a “guidance counselor.” I left in 2020 as I educated myself through workshops and classes on how trauma is stored in our body. I was learning the science behind what I already understood, which is that we hold what has happened in our lives, what is currently happening in our lives, and what our ancestors have endured (epigenetics) right in the tissues of our body. I already was well aware of the power of art to process our life experiences and the power of moving these experiences outside of our physical body and giving voice to what may be hard to vocalize.
I invite students through invitations to use imagery found in nature to represent and symbolize different ideas or experiences that are universal to being human. I have taught in mental health facilities (CTSA Bel Air) and retreats that have been funded through Maryland State Arts Council.
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For William Paca Elementary, I would start these sessions gathered in a circle. We do a quick check in which allows the participants to say how they are on a scale of 1-10. This kind of circular space creates a container to hold space for each other with authenticity, compassion and vulnerability. I also ask them to answer a question, “What do you do when you are having a really hard day?” or “Where do you feel stress in your body?” It gives the student a chance to be heard because we establish what active listening is at the start. They understand the rules to participate. Anything shared in this group is private and not to be shared elsewhere. No interrupting and only kindness are allowed. As they take their turn, they have a space that we have so infrequently, where everyone is listening. It also acts as a mirror to the others. Students realize that their experiences are often things that others have felt. It also gives the students a chance to share their wisdom and for me to introduce the idea of grounding or box breathing. Strategies that are scientifically proven to regulate the nervous system and allow kids to stay in class and show up for themselves and others. Less home and hospital. Less altercations. Less anger which really is hurt.
It also creates compassion and students see each other in a different light. So often friendships are formed with people they may have initially thought they would have nothing in common with. Students will check in on each other and a community of support is formed. Connections are made and the alone feeling dissipates. It may not solve everything but it is assuredly a step towards feeling better. It builds resilience, grit and the understanding that connection to self and others are key in good mental health. These skills are as important as the standard fare curriculum. We need emotional intelligence to be brought forward to play an equally important role.

I think the ideas of connection to oneself and others and using movement, dance, celebration and art as a way to regulate our nervous systems would be fantastic to create a large heart that the kids fill with pieces of tile, beads and lay down pieces as we have conversation of practices we can do each day to bring joy and connection to ourselves and others. Installation will be done by the school but the heart can potentially be installed in an area where it is highly visible in a hallway or stairwell.

Budget/schedule breakdown
Tuesday, March 10th –School Site Visit/Plan/Load/Unload Materials Day— 10-11 a.m. load materials, etc.
Class time 10:00-1 p.m. | 8 Students at a time
DATES WITH STUDENTS- March 11th, March 17th, March 18th, and March 19th
+2 hour site visit-unload
+12 hours of facilitation
+4 hours for lesson planning
+1 organization of materials
+3-hour early-arrive and prepare for day

Materials to be purchased by Andrea Sauer
Plywood, glass globs, ceramic tiles, beads, trinkets, glue, pipettes
Total hours= 20 hours plus materials
Teacher facilitation pay$100/hr. (MSAC standard rate of pay)
TOTAL PAID DIRECTLY TO ARTIST-ANDREA SAUER
$2,500instruction/plan
$500 materials
TOTAL: $2,500