6/14/2017
Topic:
Students With Disabilities
Deborah Walker-Tannehill
|
I have had the pleasure of a male student in my art class for two years. First, in Kindergarten and then again in first grade. He is listed as ADS and is assisted by a paraprofessional during our 40 minute class due to behavioral challenges when he becomes over stimulated through usage of art materials. My "Kyle" does not handle the sensations of touch when using liquid glue, ceramic clay, or any like materials which cause his hands to become dirty or sticky. Together, we have learned to adjust his working space so that he feels comfortable and in control of his art-making processes. He is allowed to substitute with glue sticks, tools for clay work (blunt pencils, a strip of tag board to cut clay), modeling clay rather than ceramic clay, and washcloths/baby wipes to immediately clean hands in case of distress. He prefers to sit at "his own table" with his helper, due to his tendencies of hurting others when he becomes excited (he twists others writs, pinches their shoulder, throws crayons, snatches materials and apologizes). He tries so very hard to obey classroom rules. On a good day, he will ask a friend to sit with him and I certainly allow that. On a bad day, he will yell NO! and cover his table to protect his work space. Kyle is amazingly talented in painting and could paint for hours. His erratic scribbling methods with crayons all but disappears with the exchange for a paintbrush. He is my cleaning helper because collecting materials gives him something constructive to do yet remain active, while the other students are lining up to leave. Otherwise, Kyle would not handle waiting in line for others and hurt someone. He loves art and has slowly ventured past paint to gel pens, paper sculpture with glue sticks, and even made a ceramic sea turtle near our sink area "just in case". |
6/14/2017
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Deborah Walker-Tannehill
|
I have had the pleasure of a male student in my art class for two years. First, in Kindergarten and then again in first grade. He is listed as ADS and is assisted by a paraprofessional during our 40 minute class due to behavioral challenges when he becomes over stimulated through usage of art materials. My "Kyle" does not handle the sensations of touch when using liquid glue, ceramic clay, or any like materials which cause his hands to become dirty or sticky. Together, we have learned to adjust his working space so that he feels comfortable and in control of his art-making processes. He is allowed to substitute with glue sticks, tools for clay work (blunt pencils, a strip of tag board to cut clay), modeling clay rather than ceramic clay, and washcloths/baby wipes to immediately clean hands in case of distress. He prefers to sit at "his own table" with his helper, due to his tendencies of hurting others when he becomes excited (he twists others writs, pinches their shoulder, throws crayons, snatches materials and apologizes). He tries so very hard to obey classroom rules. On a good day, he will ask a friend to sit with him and I certainly allow that. On a bad day, he will yell NO! and cover his table to protect his work space. Kyle is amazingly talented in painting and could paint for hours. His erratic scribbling methods with crayons all but disappears with the exchange for a paintbrush. He is my cleaning helper because collecting materials gives him something constructive to do yet remain active, while the other students are lining up to leave. Otherwise, Kyle would not handle waiting in line for others and hurt someone. He loves art and has slowly ventured past paint to gel pens, paper sculpture with glue sticks, and even made a ceramic sea turtle near our sink area "just in case". |
1/1/2018
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Deborah Walker-Tannehill
|
I currently have a fifth grade student on the autism spectrum who struggles with the directions in the art process. He often refers to steps and information I write on the board. He relies on strong encouragement and positive feedback to continue advancing through an art project.I review our standard, vocabulary, and goal at the beginning of class. I tell him where he is at in the process and what else he needs to do in short term goals. Such as "Today, I need you to complete the drawing stage of your art and begin adding color before the end of class." He takes cues from students seated next to him, and they are always happy to remind him of his goal by showing their own artwork to him. He then feels confident to move forward without anxiety or emotional challenges. |
1/1/2018
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Deborah Walker-Tannehill
|
I have a kindergartner with Downs Syndrome. He has low verbal abilities, and has difficulty staying seated during lessons or work time. He enjoys modeling clay on days when he struggles to remain seated and actively engaged. Through repeated practice, he can correctly use a tool to create textures in the clay. If I ask him to create smooth texture, he can roll his clay out using a pencil after just a couple of tries. He can create a bumpy texture by pressing the back of his pencil into the clay to create circles and ridges. He will say "bump bump". He often is assessed by being provided three choices of colors or pictures to pick from. He will point to his answer. I am very careful to demonstrate safety in handling our tools. He can be reminded with a gesture that he needs to turn his pencil around before handing it to another person. He gets frequent one-to-one assistance from the assistant or myself during the art making process. |
1/1/2018
Topic:
Tools And Strategies
Deborah Walker-Tannehill
|
I have several students in my classes across the grade levels with ADD/ADHD. I try to pre-teach with every lesson so that the class is familiar with our standard, vocabulary, and our goals. I often show short demonstration video clips or history cartoons as visual aides (using my computer and projector linked through a cable). I select short, colorful, and important material related to our projects. Most often, this is my introduction to each lesson. It gives time to discuss, share, and analyze different techniques or images used by artists. I then demonstrate the steps of our project as we move through a lesson. I leave my demonstrated art posted from class to class as a reminder and visual aide reference. I tend to review and reteach steps at the beginning of class. Hands-on practice is closely guided during this time. I scan students as I am demonstrating or directly after, to help students who may be struggling. We correct any issues together. I often model by pointing out my mistakes and how to correct them out loud. |
2/19/2018
Topic:
Tools And Strategies
Deborah Walker-Tannehill
|
I rely on my computer projector to show images of art and demo videos almost daily. I try to use short demo videos I can replay for the beginning of class as a review to our lessons. I do not have any other technology available, only a dry erase board but am awaiting the installation of technology soon.
I use tiered lessons in all grade levels. My self contained ESE students join my other classes for Art. I am learning to adjust my lessons for specific students to include task cards/task boxes for some of these students. I am currently making adjustments to materials provided within lessons as well. Students with higher abilities are encouraged to add to or incorporate further media and ideas into their art projects, while for some, cutting and pasting to accomplish a task is more applicable.
I use chaining often. I provide a sample for students to refer to as the end goal in our art project, then break up the lesson into steps. I begin with background knowledge and pre-teaching vocabulary with computer displayed images or short videos. I then demonstrate steps of our art process, as I connect our key word/picture cards (for The Elements and Principles).
This section has been extremely helpful to me. |
3/13/2018
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Deborah Walker-Tannehill
|
1. Provide/Describe one or more examples of adapted or alternative assessments you have successfully used in the classroom for students with disabilities. Be sure to identify the student's disability. Share your response in the threaded discussion.
I have a student with Downs Syndrome. The student has difficulty speaking clearly and is very easily distracted. The student often leaves the assigned seat, plays at the sink and water fountain, or in the bathroom. The student will leave my room and travel down the hallway. The teacher assistant and I use the terms "keep working" and "Great job, keep going" with the student when engaged in project work. We redirect attention back to the art project with constant encouragement and provide options (choices of colors and materials) to complete work.
The student is using Access Points and I have recently started the use of task boxes for this student. A lesson about the Principles of Design to include balance or symmetry will include a task box with a laminated mat that includes a line of symmetry. The box may include wooden block shapes or laminated cut outs so the student may show an arrangement of shapes on either side of the mat to demonstrate symmetry. This would eliminate the struggle of completing a guided drawing activity with the rest of the class. The student would then be provided a pre-drawn symmetrical sample to color the same on both sides (as the student is able to color). |