ABSTRACT
Many children are living in crisis, struggling with trauma from natural or environmental disasters, domestic or societal violence, bullying, homelessness, human trafficking, or from lack of acceptance of sexual preference. Those who have experienced trauma may have been in the criminal justice system, or have family members who are incarcerated. Children who have experienced trauma are less likely to succeed in school and are at risk of dropping out of school altogether. This chapter introduces the purposes of the book: to increase understanding of the role of visual art education for enhancing learning for children in crisis; provide resources for pre-service teacher candidates and professional development for art teachers, general educators, school counselors, and social workers; help art educators improve their ability to recognize students living in turmoil, and design effective, appropriate instruction, and classroom management to meet their needs; contribute to the field of art education situated within social/cultural contexts; offer successful models for diverse K-12 classrooms with specific attention to youth who face emotional, mental, behavioral, and physical challenges; describe a framework for meaningful visual art education for at-risk populations; and share the expertise of art educators, building on their experiences and best practices.
