Expressive Arts & Social Emotional Learning in the Classroom
Shine Through is an Expressive Arts and social-emotional learning method for K-12 students and educators that bridges emotional growth with the transformative power of the creative process. By engaging the senses and imagination across all art disciplines, this restorative framework calms minds, builds resilience, and inspires students to decompress, connect, and be fully themselves.
The student experience is delivered through immersive campus residencies tailored to foster a deep sense of belonging, specializing in high-need youth who require extra emotional and behavioral tools to thrive.
For educators, the method provides a professional development pathway that equips teachers with experiential, restorative skills. By learning to integrate simple art modalities into daily practice, educators gain tools to lower student anxiety, enhance focus, and deepen classroom engagement.
Originally developed in 2017 by Expressive Arts Specialist Elizabeth Tobias, this method has been successfully used by thousands of students across the San Diego Unified School District through a major partnership with the VAPA Foundation, the Expressive Arts Foundation, and the Prebys Sparx Initiative.
White paper forthcoming.
Our six-week K-12 residencies use the creative process to cultivate resilience, deepen relationships, and enhance school engagement. They provide a vital space for students, transforming how they connect with themselves and the world around them. Each week, a core Social-Emotional Learning skill is paired with a different art modality, inviting students to learn from direct creative experience.
Our professional development pathway equips educators with Expressive Arts and Social-Emotional Learning tools they can integrate directly into their curriculum in fun and simple ways. Teachers gain hands-on strategies for weaving movement, visual art, drama, and creative writing into daily classroom life. Educators also explore mindful self-care practices to nourish and sustain their own wellbeing.
Our programming typically runs for six weeks, but is fully customizable and flexible to align with your school's schedule and specific objectives. Beyond residencies, we offer tailored programming for school events and wellness fairs, with assembly programs currently in development to bring the transformative power of expressive arts to your entire campus.
Interested in bringing Expressive Arts and social-emotional learning to your campus or district? Reach out to learn more about residencies and professional development opportunities.
