3/18/2021
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Stephany Heath-Tucker
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Fine Arts educators:
- 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.
As a first-year teacher, I taught elementary music K-5th grade. I taught over 800 students and had the opportunity to teach a very small class of students with very severe impairments/exceptionalities. Because I had such large class-sizes, I got permission to teach that class in a small-group format during my planning period once every 2 weeks instead of doing an inclusion method of teaching. This allowed the students in this class that were sensitive to loud noises and not able to participate in the activities in my general music classes to have one-on-one instructional time with me and their teachers. We would sing, play "boom-whacker" instruments that they could bang together, clap on the beat, and just enjoy music together at a level that they were able to process and the students were able to demonstrate engagement/participation in each music lesson. |
3/18/2021
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Stephany Heath-Tucker
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Fine Arts educators (choose ONE):
- Think of a fine arts student with a disability you have now or in the past. Review the Assessment Accommodations Checklist and select two options that could potentially benefit this student in assessing his or her fine arts learning. Discuss how they would benefit the student.
I have had several students in different choral ensembles that struggled with following verbal instructions. I was able to implement a system in all of my classes to help keep the students engaged and uses the directions to keep the students on track. When we change sections in a piece of music, I give the students a verbal cue "Look at...". I will then give the students a page and measure number and ALL of the students will repeat it as a class. For example, the teacher would say "Look at....page 2, measure 32." and the students would reply "Page 2, measure 32!" in response. This allows students to be actively involved and repeat the important information aloud. |
3/19/2021
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Stephany Heath-Tucker
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Fine Arts educators (choose one):
- Describe how two of the strategies discussed could potentially be implemented in your classroom. Be sure to identify the two strategies by name and describe how they could be used to address the needs of a student with a disability.
I use mnemonic instruction to teach students key signatures and the order of flats and sharps. Using the letter strategy, I teach the students to draw the Bead Gulf Coast Florida (BEADGCF) figure, which helps them to identify key signatures. This strategy is helpful not only for students that struggle with listening/following instructions but also for all students trying to learn how to identify key signatures.
I use the peer partner strategy in all of my classes when the choir students practice within their sections daily. The students that are more comfortable with sightreading or modeling appropriate vocal techniques lead the section by singing or modeling the behaviors more loudly that they are the most comfortable with. This strategy is helpful not only for students that struggle with listening/following directions but also for all students trying to learn how to sight-read and sing with appropriate vocal techniques. |