8/12/2020
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Michael Hipple
|
I have had numerous students with disabilities (we have inclusion as well as self-contained classes that come to music). I have been fortunate enough to have three students who had either hearing loss or complete deafness. Each of the students would come with someone who would sign what what was being said for them. It was a wonderful experience to get to watch them interact with the class, try to teach some signs to some of their friends, and interact with the lesson. For one particular lesson, the song we were working on as a whole class had a sign language component to it. This student just lit up with excitement seeing all of her classmates now trying to do what she did each and every day. It really helped her interact with her classmates more since that lesson. Students would come up to her and ask how to sign certain words...she went from being a student to being a teacher! |
8/12/2020
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Michael Hipple
|
In one of my self contained classes the teacher aides who travel with the class to specials have me have the students sit in chairs to help with the desire for students to get up and run around the room (impulse control issues). One of the students in this class, besides having impulse control issues is also what they call a non-speaker. She will make sounds and noises but cannot communicate using her voice to use words. One of the teacher assistants has her one on one with an electronic device that she can type in words to express herself beyond the noises. |
8/12/2020
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Michael Hipple
|
In my music classroom I am fortunate enough to have a Smart Board that projects what is on my teacher's computer and the students can come up to the Smart Board and interact with the screen as if their finger was a computer mouse. Students who may have impulse control issues and I might be hesitant to put a more fragile instrument in their hands can come up to the Smart Board and make the sound of the instrument by touching it on the screen. |