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The learning process is always fraught with various challenges. To be able to tackle them effectively, many tutors and students use arts and crafts as a practical and proven way of dealing with stress, burnout, and lack of concentration. Research reveals that crafts can be a really effective means when used creatively and purposefully.
The good news is that we, as humans, have been using crafts for centuries as part of our culture. We have been creating lots of various objects manually. Over the centuries, it has been a major way to express things and ourselves figuratively. It is not just the end product that is exciting but the process itself, which has a positive influence on our psyche. Keep reading to learn more about how crafts can help overcome learning difficulties.
- Improving your concentration
This is an obvious one. As you focus on creating something with your hands, you need a lot of concentration. It takes quite a bit of effort to achieve the desired goal. This can be a particular challenge for people with ADHD or other related disorders. That is when crafts come in handy. They are a proven way to improve your concentration skills.
Crafts are also used by those who face challenges in traditional classroom environments. These students are able to draw on their hands-on experience to learn. For example, instead of using a textbook, they can busy themselves creating an object manually. This can be a fun exercise with lots of benefits to students’ ability to overcome learning difficulties.
- Refining your creativity
Crafts are known for their ability to induce and boost tons of creativity. This is particularly useful for students who are a bit timid to express or assert themselves in a traditional classroom setting. It also helps those with writing and reading skills.
Many students find crafts an effective way to develop their unique style. It takes a lot of creativity to come up with a design that does not copy those of the others. Practice makes perfect, so students get better and more creative with every other effort. As a result, they develop the kind of creative skills that will prove useful in any walk of life and any career they choose.
- Boosting your confidence
Learning challenges can impede many students and their progress. It can be extremely demoralizing when you don’t see much headway despite lots of effort. When this happens, it is always a great idea to use crafts as a major confidence-boosting method.
As you achieve tangible results with your crafts, you start building confidence. It will play an important role in making the necessary adjustments in your learning process to achieve the educational goals.
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- Improving your problem-solving skills
Problem-solving is another area where you can see a lot of improvements. It is an essential skill that you need to have in any field of activity. Craft-making involves a lot of problem-solving in terms of choosing designs and overcoming related challenges.
For example, when you see a dropped stitch, you must find an effective solution without having to start everything over. In the same way, if things go wrong with your painting, you need to fix them shortly. These are all valuable situations that provide lots of learning opportunities. Those who take advantage of these opportunities enjoy the long-term benefits.
- Dealing with stress
Crafts are a great antidote to stress and anxiety. Mental stress is an issue for a lot of students. Tough academic schedules, never-ending assignments, and challenging term papers and essays can drive you nuts. It is not surprising that some fail to deal with the burden effectively.
Many therapists now advise students to get involved in some kind of craft-making to overcome the challenge because sustained stress can have a hugely detrimental effect on their academic performance. Results have been amazing, and many students have successfully tackled distress.
- Refining your fine motor skills
Fine motor skills enable your small muscles to perform various tasks requiring precision. These may include things like drawing and writing. Without these skills, there is no way you can come up with neat handwriting or a fine picture. If they are not up to the mark, you won’t be able to manage your learning process effectively and successfully.
At worst, poorly developed fine motor skills may affect those suffering from ADHD or dysgraphia. Crafts help you train the small muscles over a long period of time. Scientific evidence unequivocally points to a range of benefits related to the use of crafts in your learning process.
- Enhancing your hand-eye coordination
Hand-eye coordination is absolutely necessary to perform movements with your hands. You can’t achieve much in sports or music without near-perfect hand-eye coordination. For instance, if you play basketball, there is no way you can make a basket if your hand-eye coordination is not up to snuff.
If you suffer from learning challenges, including dyslexia or autism, hand-eye coordination can be one of your biggest issues. Crafting provides a great solution because it is a long and elaborate process that trains your eye and hand movements in sync. Over time, you can achieve a great level of coordination that will help you achieve your learning goals.Â
Bottom Line
Learning challenges are common in any country and any educational institution. Many students face them during their academic studies. These challenges hamper their progress and diminish the likelihood of achieving their long-term educational goals.
Luckily, making crafts has been found to be an effective way to deal with an array of learning challenges. A lot of scientific research and evidence exists about the effectiveness of using crafts. Many therapists also use them to help students overcome learning difficulties. Results are amazing, and they include improved creating and problem-solving skills, boosted confidence, improved hand-eye coordination, and lower stress. These are all important factors in dealing with learning challenges effectively.
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Josh Garner is an experienced writer, student coach, and researcher. He has helped thousands of students overcome multiple learning challenges related to both personal and academic factors. Josh uses the findings of his research projects to inform his recommendations and tips on tackling the most common barriers to effective learning and development.
