4/7/2017
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Marie Radloff
|
A few years ago I had a student (Jacob) who was identified as having Emotional Behavior Disorder. As is often the case with EBD students, he had a difficult time transitioning from his gen ed classroom to music. To compound matters, his classroom teacher was inconsistent in her classroom management and often overlooked inappropriate behaviors by some students, but severely "cracked down" on others for the same behaviors, especially Jacob. By the time Jacob came to my class, around 10:30, he was very distressed and often could not function as a member of the class. After talking with Jacob privately, I offered to provide him a positive "time out" space every time he came to music (twice weekly). I presented this as an opportunity for him to take a few minutes to just cool down without any interference from me or his classmates. I told him he could not stay there the whole class period, but to join us as soon as he was ready. Jacob took advantage of this "chill time" every time he came to music for about the first three or four weeks. After that he gradually reduced his alone time and within two months almost never needed it. Just knowing that he had that option became enough for him. I have used this with other EBD students, and found it to be successful with many. By building rapport and providing this space I enabled Jacob, and others, to have a little bit of control over their environment. Jacob became a fully participating, productive member of the class and excelled at all activities and learning.
edited by Marie Radloff on 4/7/2017 |
4/14/2017
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Marie Radloff
|
One of the strategies I frequently use in my fourth and fifth grade classes as I'm teaching a new recorder song is Task Analysis. At the beginning of class we do a warm-up in which I play a four-beat melodic pattern on my recorder and ask the students to copy me. I always include (preview) any new fingerings, and/or difficult fingering combinations they will encounter in the pieces we'll be learning, or reviewing, during that lesson. Students then listen to me sing the song (if there are lyrics) and then we sing it together. Next, students read the rhythm of the song, read and/or sing the pitch names of the melody, read/sing the melody while fingering along with the recorder mouthpiece on their chins, and then finally play the song. At each step along the way I listen to students' responses and correct any mistakes I'm hearing. This strategy has served me well with my gen ed students as well as special learners.
Another strategy I often use is Self-Evaluation and Reflection paired with Individual Practice Time. I introduce the activity, be it singing, playing, or movement, and then sequentially teach it to the class. In December, we did a movement activity with Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride" in all of my fourth grade classes as a way to experience the element of Form. After listening to it with a listening map, and discussing the form, students spread around the room and I began teaching the movements for each different section of the piece. This is a very challenging activity, but achievable for most mid-year fourth graders. At each section, after teaching the movement I provided time for individual practice. Once we learned all of the movements, and reviewed the form sequence again, we tried the whole piece with the music. After the first "performance" I asked students to spend 30 seconds reflecting on their performance, and to think about what they could do to make it better. It was interesting to see the students practicing the parts they'd had trouble executing. During the second performance I did see a marked improvement. I asked how many felt they had been more successful...most, if not all, raised their hands. I gave them another 30 seconds for more reflection/practice time, and we did the movement activity one more time, again asking how many felt they had improved. Again, students raised their hands. Rather than being bored, frustrated, or tired of the activity, they asked to do it again, which I attribute to their continued sense of improvement and competence, even amongst those who had struggled. All students, including my students with autism, were able to participate at individually appropriate levels. Some of my ASD para-professionals were challenged, as well as the gen-ed students, but everyone laughed and enjoyed the activity, and gained a better grasp of the form of the piece. |
4/17/2017
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Marie Radloff
|
I have a fifth grade student who is intellectually impaired. When assessing him for progress on recorder, I modify his assignments. Rather than requiring him to read & play an eight-measure song, I assess him on his ability to echo simple four-note patterns on recorder during the warm-up time in the class period. He is enthusiastic about music and playing the recorder, and has continued to progress in his playing skills from having trouble placing hands/fingers correctly to being able to echo simple four-note patterns.
edited by Marie Radloff on 4/17/2017 |