7/9/2021
Topic:
Students With Disabilities
Cindy Wills
|
I had a student with a visual impairment in my high school Ceramics class. I had to adjust projects to accommodate her ability to feel and perceive objects, rather than to "see" them visually, or follow a visual model of reference. For a project based on "real objects", I provided a realistic object based on her interests (animals), for her to feel and explore, and related the size and shape of the parts of the animal to "known" structures, such as squares, ovals, circles. I had her experience these forms, as concrete models, and then related them to the forms she felt in the 3-D toy model of the animal she wanted to recreate in clay. Using this process, she was able to break down the complex whole of the animal into parts- torso, head, neck, arms, legs- and feel for the "basic shape" (geometric form) of those parts, before manipulating and modifying those basic forms to create the more accurate and organic form of the animal itself. |
7/9/2021
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Cindy Wills
|
I can picture using chaining to help a student with intellectual disabilities link together small steps in creating a clay form, such as a coil vase. The break down of making the coils, and developing that skill, thenm.practicing the score and slip method of attachment, before moving to the placemetn of coils toward building a 3d form.This step by step process would allow and require supported acquisition of each skill before independently constructing the successful coiled form. Additionally, use of peer partners would be helpful in allowing a peer to guide the student with disabilities through the process, building social interaction skills, awareness/appreciation of and concern for the special abilities and challenges we all face in the creative process. |
7/10/2021
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Cindy Wills
|
I have found the use of exit cards helpful for students with disabilities- and all students- as a way to demonstrate the skills they have or have not mastered from a specific fine arts lesson. This enables me to see what they can do and apply before moving them on to the next skill, which may incorporate using that previous skill to achieve success (as in drawing a realistic portrait, and learning each day how to create one facial feature each day.) Having the student turn in the exit card of their drawn practice of a facial feature allows me to give independent support to those who need it, before moving them onto the more complex task of combing those features together for a complete portrait drawing. I also regularly use self and peer progress reviews for students to reflect upon their progress towards the end goal, and to receive feedback from peers and teacher about changes or improvements that can happen, and identify ways in which they can be manifested, before the end product is resolved. |