12/31/2020
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Suzanne Williams
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- Think of a student with a disability you have now or in the past. Describe ways in which their disability affected their learning in your class.
I have a first grade ESE student who is mostly mainstreamed. He is pulled for ESE instruction for specials (art, music and PE) with the primary ASD class. He attends art with the ASD class and my smallest kindergarten class. In my art classroom, he requires more attention than his other ESE peers to stay focused. He sits near the front of the room so he can best hear and see me. I try to give him extra encouragement and attention when we begin new projects. However, once I move away from him to focus on students in the kindergarten class or one of the other four ESE students, he slides off task. Unless he feels that he can master the assignment himself, he wanders around the room and tries to visit other students at various tables. Sometimes, one of the ESE classroom aides will try to help keep him on task, if they are not busy with one of the other ESE students who usually require most of their attention. He frustrates easily, and has a habit of pocketing things that do not belong to him.
Our school pre-pandemic used the bucket filling system and rewarded students "Pride passes" for doing good deeds for others and as incentives for modeling school-wide behavior expectations. This worked well for this particular student last year. However, due to the pandemic guidelines, we cannot implement this at this time. In my art room, I do have treasure box that I sometimes use if I catch students exhibiting good behavior or peer assistance. This student gets upset if he does not get chosen every class period, so this type of reward system has not worked for him. |
1/13/2021
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Suzanne Williams
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- Describe an example of adapted assessment you have successfully used in the fine arts classroom for students with disabilities.
I have a group of students who come to my art room from their self-contained ASD class. They are mainstreamed for specials (art, music and PE) with a kindergarten class. When teaching the students the basic elements of line and shapes, the rest of the students are drawing the lines and shapes with crayons as we discuss them. For my ASD students, most of whom are non-verbal, they often have a hard time holding a crayon or pencil for long periods of time. With their classroom aide's assistance, I allow these students to mimic what I draw on the smart board using an adaptive drawing program on the ipad. This allows them to learn the basic shapes and lines on a different scale, oftentimes drawing them out with their fingers, rather than the traditional crayons or pencils that the traditional students use. |
1/13/2021
Topic:
Tools And Strategies
Suzanne Williams
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Two Strategies: 1. When introducing a new lesson, I always try to find a video how-to to show the students on the Smart board what we are about to do. I then use my document camera and give an actual demonstration and further detail what we are about to do (especially because I usually like to add a variation to the assignment or give it a more personalized touch). After answering any lingering questions, I then hand out the materials and allow the students to start the assignment. This allows the students two ways to be introduced to the artist or lesson. I also walk around the room as students are beginning the assignment for further assistance and guidance.
2. I also have created an art word wall that lists the terms and wording that I use in my art classroom. They are not merely words on the wall. Each card has the word, and an accompanying visual to describe the word. We are a dual language school, so I also have the word in Spanish for those students. This has also helped me a great deal when trying to visually describe the lesson to my ELL students who are just learning the language. I continually refer to the wall when I use these words in conversations and lessons. I also add new words as the concepts are introduced to the students. | | 0   |
edited by Suzanne Williams on 1/13/2021 |