1/5/2018
Topic:
Tools and Strategies
Susan Bazin
|
Describe at least one way you have used technology to meet the needs of a student with a disability in your music classroom. Be sure to identify or describe the specific technology and the student's disability. Share your response in the threaded discussion. I am fortunate to have a Piano Lab in my band room! This allows me creative adaptations to instructional goals for all students, but especially those with learning disability. In one case, the student was hearing impaired. After matching her with another student who could model the activity, hardware and technology allowed me to silence other students in their individual headphone set. In other words, they were able to hear each other's playing, but not those of the students around them. The assignment was to compose music that reflected an emotion associated with an animal. ie: aggressive forte/accents for lions vs. gentle pianissimo/legato for kitty cats. Assessment was made after rubrics were determined by the class and demonstrated through play-back of the music each group composed. This was a fun and very successful strategy for learning how music can elaborate a narrative.
|
1/5/2018
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Susan Bazin
|
- 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 a student with a disabilities needs.
CORNELL NOTES: With large classes of both beginners and advanced level students from various grade levels and exceptionalities, Cornell Notes are a great way to teach, reinforce and assess student knowledge. I will begin the class by listing cross-curriculum vocabulary on the board. They enter this into the note-taking column in whatever fashion they choose (color pencils, pictures, etc.) Then we play through music which uses the vocab specifically. At the end of class, they create questions based on the notes. Prior to a play-test later in the week, they work in collaborative groups (various sizes and combination of students, instrument groups, and ages) to review vocabulary. While other students play their test, non-testing students are asked to reflect on their notes and to evaluate the test-taker on implementation. PEER PARTNERING has been essential to my lesson plans this year. I've always used independent study and small group sectionals as part of my lesson strategy. It's fun to learn from your peer gorup and sets a standard for band performance from year-to-year. However with this year's challenge of diverse age groups and ability levels in every class (beginning band and advanced band mixed in each class), cooperative learning strategies have taken on a new emphasis. More advanced students are paired with a "junior partner" for private lessons. The student-teacher is given a specific goal for the student-learner. Not only does this give extra time to the newbie, but it reinforces what the more advanced student knows. By having to "put it into words' their own knowledge is reinforced. This also serves to improve a class climate where a first-year player might feel overwhelmed by their lack of skill when compared to a third year player.
|
1/5/2018
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Susan Bazin
|
- Describe an example of adapted assessment you have successfully used in the fine arts classroom for students with disabilities.
Students are asked to track their musical progress and understanding throughout the year with the use of Student Journals. They are given a small ring notebook so that with a 3-hole punch, they can also add evaluations from FBA music performance assessments and their teacher (adult), "You Sound..." and other peer-evaluation worksheets, practice records (parents) and self reflection checklists. However, they most effective entries are thier own reflections on progress. Adaptations are allowed through the use of text (computer-typed or handwritten), drawing pictures (to elaborate concepts they have learned) and print-outs of articles from websites. The only thing I've not been able to incorporate directly into the notebooks is sound recordings. They store them on their school issued chromebooks, so it can be used as a reference for them, as needed. I prefer a written/drawn account that can be kept in their music cubby. Once they get excited about the assignment, they need little encouragement to "put it in The Book", tracking their own successes and inspiring them to match the success of fellow students. For example, one student learned the chromatic scale on their own time. (It's an assignment that was to be made later in the school year, but he came across it int he method book and wanted a go.) As soon as he was able to enter it in The Book, other students wanted to try to learn it too. He met with them during lunch to help them in the same fashion he'd learned and voila... half my class knew the chromatic scale ahead of my own teaching schedule! This included students with IEP accomodations and other learning disabilities. Throughout the year, I will go through the books. Especially if I see a student struggling with a concept or the opposite, getting bored and needing a good challenge. I will write notes in the columns of The Book (ie: See me for a lesson, you got this! - or- meet with your section leader who struggled with this last year, but now is an ACE!) At the end of each year, students are asked to reflect on where they began and where they are now using a step-by-step review. They are also asked to predict where they will be at the beginning and end of next year which helps them to look ahead, set goals and work to achieve them. |