10/4/2023
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Jordan Mattheus
|
Administrator wrote:
Think of a music student with a disability you have now, or have had in the past. Identify their disability. Describe the way in which their disability affected their music learning. Describe at least one or more ways you successfully accommodated or modified instruction for this student. Share your response in the threaded discussion.
I had a very energetic student that was visually impaired in one of my music classes. She played piano and was able to feel her way around the instrument while playing due to the patterns on the keys. However, when it came to reading music she often struggled if she was given the same print size as other students. In order to help her with this, I made sure she was moved to the front of the class, and always printed out sheet music or any handouts in a larger font for her. Alongside some encouragement from as well as those accommodations she was able to play and perform as well as if not better than the rest of the students in class. |
10/24/2023
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Jordan Mattheus
|
In band we use multiple different strategies to aid students in the learning process. These strategies can help students with or without disabilities, and I use them frequently in order to smooth out instruction. Two such strategies are mnemonic instruction, as well as peer partners.
For Mnemonic instruction in music we often break down identifying notes on a staff using words or phrases. I will always provide a couple of example sentences such as "every good boy does fine", or "every good burger deserves fries", and then I will lead students in an activity where they think and come up with their own sentences to help them remember their lines on the staff.
In band almost everything we do has some form of collaboration between the students in the class. Because of this, I often take advantage of peer partners to help students practice as well as helping students further their understanding of the content being taught. For example, in my beginning band currently I have two activities that we regularly use peer partners to help instruction. The first activity I have is where students pair off into similar instruments and I have them each quiz each other using flash cards to help name the notes on the staff. The second activity I have my beginners do is have them pair off again, and then have them each play their five note scales to each other while they both take turns giving positive feedback and comments to the others performance. |
10/25/2023
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Jordan Mattheus
|
I currently have a student that struggles with taking their playing tests in front of other students. This is due to the fact that this student is on the spectrum, as well as deals with varying levels of anxiety. In order to help them complete their assessments in a fair in comfortable manner for them I always provide them with two alternatives to perform their playing test.
1. They can perform their playing test before or after school when there are no other students around.
2. I allow them to submit a video of them playing their playing test online so that they can complete their assessment in the comfort of their own home.
Either way, I always reassure them that their comfort is a priority when taking assessments, and I make sure they know I can be flexible with them. |