Hi Ruth,
The connection between Kinesthetic Modeling (KM) and art therapy is very strong. Both are using the way we work with our hands to look for insight where meaning is still hidden. Your ideas for working with your students are right on. In most cases the “answers” are right below the surface. In my work I concentrate on organizational settings though because I see so many situations where teams facing important obstacles are blocked by cliche thinking patterns or dysfunctional hierarchical dynamics. They don’t need some arty activity, they need a straightforward exercise that lets them get their bearings when swamped in chaos or complexity. Kinesthetic Modeling lets people relax their intellect’s strangle hold on what is “worth thinking” in order to quickly explore an immense field of possibilities simultaneously. The process is very egalitarian, rank does not seem to interfere. The delight is that everyone is automatically a competent visual thinker. And their colleagues know a good idea when they see it.
I thank you for the reference to the clay-field process. I was not familiar with it. If anyone would like to read about it I found an interesting article at: http://www.tonfeld-osterwald.de/pics/osterwald-english.pdf
If you are coming to VizThink I hope you will come to our session Monday afternoon and get your hands dirty.