The Arts at Franklin Center: Supporting Neurodiverse Learners Through Creative Expression

At Franklin Center, the arts are a powerful tool for regulation, self-expression, confidence-building, and connection. Creative experiences are woven into our daily routines to help meet the needs of neurodiverse individuals, and create opportunities to feel successful, engaged, and understood.

Visual Arts

Visual arts courses are a cornerstone of Franklin Academy. Led by Ms. Nancy, these beloved classes are structured yet flexible, allowing students to explore creativity in ways that feel safe and accessible. Some projects offer clear, step-by-step routines for individuals who prefer predictability, while others leave room for personal choice and experimentation.

For many students, visual art is the most regulating part of their day. The tactile experience of working with materials like clay, paint, and mixed media provides a calming sensory outlet and a break from academic or social pressure. When verbal communication feels challenging, art becomes another way to express ideas, emotions, and interests. Students are encouraged to incorporate their special interests into their work, which Nancy shares helps build motivation, rapport, and pride.

Favorite projects such as creating food sculptures help students to build skills like patience, planning, and perseverance, while exposing them to a wide range of materials and styles. The goal is not a “perfect” product, but helping students recognize that their creativity is a strength, and that their work is valuable because it is uniquely theirs.

Drama

This semester, Capstone offered a performing arts course that used drama as a vehicle for social growth and confidence-building. From the start, the class emphasized what it means to be an ensemble: staying engaged, listening to one another, and understanding that everyone plays an important role. Through improvisation, teamwork games, and scene work, students practice flexibility, planning, and coping with uncertainty or disappointment.

Performing can be a vulnerable and uncomfortable experience for anyone! To set them up for success, participants were given time to warm up, share feedback about their comfort levels, and take breaks when needed, ensuring that participation felt empowering rather than overwhelming. Over the semester, the students grew increasingly proud of their willingness to try something new and support one another through mistakes and challenges.

The class culminated in a performance of Snow White and the Seven Entrepreneurs, a production that engaged the entire Capstone community. In addition to the stellar performances of the drama class, others contributed by painting scenery and props, shopping for costumes out in the community, and baking apple pies for performance day. The process has been as meaningful as the final show, highlighting collaboration, patience, and shared accomplishment. 

Music

A pilot music therapy program further expands Franklin Center’s arts offerings for Lower School and Therapy students. Teaching artists from the MacPhail Center for Music lead interactive sessions where students can try out various instruments, sing, dance, and explore different musical genres. These sessions help students regulate their bodies and emotions, release energy, and refocus—supporting readiness for learning throughout the day. And, they have a lot of fun along the way!

Camps and Clubs

Franklin Center also offers arts-focused camps and clubs throughout the year. Summer Camps include hands-on experiences like Cardboard Creations, Art Around the World, theater games with Nexplore, music sessions with MacPhail, collaborative mural projects, and more. During the school year, clubs such as tie-dye, painting, and choir provide ongoing opportunities for creative exploration in a fun, low-pressure setting.

At Franklin Center, the arts are not seen as electives, but a vital part of how we support neurodiverse learners. Through visual art, drama, music, and creative clubs and camps, students are provided welcoming spaces to regulate, express themselves, and build meaningful connections. In these moments, students are not only learning skills—they are discovering their voices, celebrating their strengths, and experiencing the joy of being understood and valued just as they are.