Clay Your Way: Shaping Connection and Self-Expression in Middle School

As a continuation of our dedication to student well-being and creativity, Middle School students recently participated in Clay Your Way, a two-session workshop that used art to promote reflection, self-expression, and collaboration. Using the affirmation ""I have the power to shape my world"" as its foundation, students reflected on what community and safety represent for them. Using clay as a creative medium, they transformed their feelings into individual pieces and then came together to build a collective community sculpture.

 The exercise gave students a unique opportunity to connect with their emotions and peers in a safe and creative space. As they shaped and reshaped the clay, they reflected on how emotions could also transform and develop over time. This hands-on process welcomed mindfulness, empathy, and collaboration, which are essential components of social-emotional learning that foster a positive school climate.

Clay Your Way served as a touching reminder that creativity can be both a means of self-expression and a path to closer bonding within the school community.

By: Brigitte Chinchilla and Marinés García, Interamericano