3/24/2021
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Victoria Rathbun
|
I once had a student with Friedreich's Ataxia--a degenerative, orthopaedic disease. This student's disorder effected his mobility (he zoomed around campus in an electric wheelchair), his vocal production (his voice was very quiet), and his ability to hold a writing utensil. The vocal production element was of particular challenge because of his involvement in Chorus Classes. He had an incredible sense of humor, though, and students naturally saw him as a leader, so he ran for and was awarded several leadership positions within the chorus during his tenure in the program. I also gave him the opportunity to respond verbally, instead of in writing, since writing was a real challenge. Singing-wise, we spent a lot of time examining the physicality of singing for all singers. With him, specifically, we focused on breath support and using that to fuel tone--even in a perpetually seated position. |
3/26/2021
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Victoria Rathbun
|
Option 1:
I really enjoy using Cooperative Learning in my classroom--especially with my beginners who are just beginning to grapple with basic concepts of music reading. I use initial assessment to ascertain the skill levels of my students and then I create heterogeneous groups that must work together to accomplish tasks related to music reading--this may be identifying note names or symbols, writing out solfege, or even rehearsing passages within a piece of music on solfege. During this time, I monitor the various groups, assisting where needed. It's amazing how much this practice not only builds community within the ensemble, but it also increases music fluency much quicker than if I were just standing in front of the room lecturing or providing independent practice opportunities.
I'm also a big fan of graphic organizers. My favorite is the Venn Diagram. In Chorus, we do a lot of listening to help build the catalog of choral/musical sounds in my students' minds. I love using Venn Diagrams to compare and contrast specific elements within a piece or a group of pieces. |
3/27/2021
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Victoria Rathbun
|
I will often have students record singing tests on their cell phones while we perform the prescribed excerpt as a class. They can then submit it via whichever platform we are using at the time (Canvas, Charms, etc.). This is especially helpful for those students who receive accommodations for anxiety issues, as it doesn't single them out. Students who fail to achieve proficiency on these assessments can then receive individual feedback via technology, so as not to single them out, and I will regularly allow students to retake assessments as many times as they need to (prior to the end of the grading window) to demonstrate mastery, as that is my end goal anyway. This is especially helpful for those students who need additional processing time. |