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THE FRIDAY BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS DR. ALICE M HAMMEL VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY KNOW YOUR STUDENTS • Talk to your school guidance counselor, or administrator about the students on your class roll. Find out who their teachers are, and if they need any special services in their general classroom. • If possible, get IEP summaries(may also be called student profiles or adaptations/modifications sheets) on all students with special needs in your classes, and review behavior management plans, curricular adaptation suggestions, and whether the student participates alone or with a shadow or aide. KNOW YOUR STUDENTS • Ask a special education staff member to review with you various limiting conditions associated with each student who has an IEP. They will gladly help you understand the alphabet soup of special education and will be up-todate on any changes. • Identify strong students who will possibly be good friends for a special student who may need help. The school guidance counselor may be able to help identify students. • If possible, contact some students before school begins through postcards, emails, phone calls, or other forms of communication to welcome them to your class. KNOW YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION FACULTY • Take the time to get to know the special education faculty at your school. Visit their classrooms and let them know that you are ready and willing to teach their students. This will help if any difficulties occur later. • Know which special education teacher is primarily responsible for each student with special needs in your class. One teacher will be responsible for seeing that the Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals are met. This person is sometimes referred to as the case manager. KNOW YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION FACULTY • Know the specialties of each special education teacher. Some are adept at brainstorming behavior modifications, others are better at curriculum adaptations. • Invite the special education teachers to visit your classroom and offer any advice regarding the physical set-up of the room. Ask about possible modifications to your classroom procedures as well. They can be a wealth of information. • Develop a good working relationship with teachers. Let them know that you value the inclusion of their students in your classroom. KNOW YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF MEMBERS • Get to know any special education paraprofessionals. If a student has an aide in the general classroom, that aide may also be in the music classroom with the student. • Ask questions about specific situations or students. The “shadows” or aides are with students all day. They may have some ideas about how specific students learn best. • Invite the para-professionals to observe your class if they are not going to be a part of each class time. Allow them to offer suggestions based on their experiences. KNOW YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF MEMBERS • LD Experience KNOW YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF MEMBERS • Familiar Sayings KNOW YOUR ADMINISTRATION • Get to know your administration before the school year starts. Develop a positive working relationship with them and let them know how willing you are to teach all students in the school. • Ask about the possibility of attending an IEP meeting for a student in your class. Let them know that you consider this an important part of preparation to teach students with special needs. KNOW YOUR ADMINISTRATION • Know the style of your administrators regarding behavior and general noncompliance by students in classrooms. Determine whether any of the students in your class are under a different set of rules regarding behavior. Your knowledge of current laws and practice will help here • Make friends with the school secretary, custodial staff, librarian/media specialist, and all other members of the staff. Let them know how happy you are to be teaching there and that you value all staff members. KNOW HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT • The general classroom setting is not necessarily the “least restrictive environment” for all students. • Students included in the general classroom setting for academic classes may or may not be included in other classes. Least restrictive environment is not universal. KNOW HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT • Be prepared to teach all students, but be cognizant that not all students will succeed in your class every day. • When you have tried all available modifications, consulted with special education faculty and staff, met with administrators, and followed suggestions by all of the faculty and staff, the student may still not be ready to succeed in your classroom. KNOW HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT • If nothing has helped, you have the right to suggest that a change in current class placement be made. This is a last resort measure, however, it is within your realm to ask that the IEP be amended, the student be moved to another music class setting instead of or in addition to the current class setting, an aide be present, or any other modification you deem necessary for the success of that student and others in the class. KNOW YOUR INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS AND MATERIALS • • • • Size Color Pacing Modality MODALITY • Use raised textured board (perhaps a rope on a board to show a five line staff) for students to touch as they are introduced to the concept of lines and spaces. This adds a kinesthetic element to a primarily visual concept. • Use movement activities to accompany some listening experiences. Many students learn best when their bodies are in motion: • tempo, style, dynamics, and genre. • These activities are enjoyed by students of all ages and do not need to be considered elementary in nature. MODALITY • Have students track measures in their parts or a score (possibly via a projected image) while listening to a recording. • We often do this with beginning performance groups and with elementary students; however, this is still a useful activity with more experienced students as well. • Score study is a complex, yet extremely useful skill, and a multi-modal approach can be an enriching experience for all students. MODALITY • Create three-dimensional figures to represent abstract concepts (notes, rhythms, solfege, dynamic and artistic markings). Some students must touch a three dimensional object to grasp the meaning of some higher-level concepts. • A picture or written schedule to accompany the aural directions and procedures in class can ease student frustration. MODALITY • Students may excel when given the choice of modality for response to a quiz or performance test. They may also perform best when given the choice to respond in two or more ways to a question or task. NOW ALL THE WOODS ARE WAKING SIZE • Remove all extraneous material from a page and create a large space for the staff and musical notation. • Use a large and bold font. You may also wish to use a card or piece of paper to cover the words or notes not needed at that moment. SIZE • Project material onto an overhead or lcd projector and allow students to stand near the projected image or touch the information as you are teaching. • Use a font that is simple and has no decorative elements. WHAT DO YOU SEE? COLOR • Colored transparencies placed over music or written pages may assist students in reading. Another option is to cut strips of colored transparencies for students to use as they track their reading. COLOR • Music and text can be highlighted for ease in score and staff reading. • For students who are learning to play band and orchestra instruments, specific notes may be highlighted for practice. • Some highlighters have erasers at the opposite end. These can be used to erase notes and highlight new notes if needed, or to erase highlighted lines for use by other students who do not need highlighted materials. COLOR • Notes may be color coded at first to remove some of the steps required for note reading. • For example, a beginning recorder student may be learning B, A, and G. B may be highlighted in blue, A may be highlighted in red, and G may be highlighted in green. COLOR • Color coding may become less frequent and then be phased out altogether. Paper hole reinforcers around the recorder’s holes may be added. The reinforcers can then be color coded to match the highlighted notes in case a student needs to remember the color that matches the fingering. • HOT CROSS BUNS PACING • Part revisions may be necessary. Some students will be unable to read a part as written by the composer. It may be necessary to simplify a part (use bass line, chord outlines, first note of each measure, etc.) to meet the musical needs of a student. As the student improves, these modified parts may be adapted. PACING • A student may need to begin with a ‘blank score’ that is filled in slowly as his abilities increase. For some students, the amount of ancillary information on a page (title, composer, tempo and dynamic markings, pictures) can be distracting and frustrating. Placing only the amount of information a student actually needs to perform successfully may be very effective. PACING • Some students may need to learn less material than others. For example, learning the A section of a piece, memorizing the chorus rather than the verses, practicing the rhythm only rather than the rhythm combined with the melody, or mastering one movement instead of four may be the most beneficial way to begin with a student. PACING • For students who have sensory issues, partial participation in class or a performance may be necessary. If the pace of a class becomes too fast or the amount of sounds, sights, and textures overloads a sensory system, a student may need to participate in music for a shorter amount of time, or learn less material for the concert and only perform the portions of music learned. PACING • Student assistants (buddies) can be valuable in the pacing process as they can repeat directions, refocus attention, and answer questions a student may have if the pace of class/rehearsal is too fast. We suggest having several buddies take turns working with a student to avoid ‘buddy burnout’ among our assistants. PACING • Wait time - Some students take up to 10 times the amount of time we need to process a question or a piece of information. • When asking a question of a student, wait at least 5 seconds before re-prompting or redirecting. • Write a question or statement on a piece of paper or draw a picture of the question or information. This combined with a longer wait time honors the student, and the process of teaching and learning. KNOW THE PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENT OF YOUR CLASSROOM • Orient the student with special needs to the classroom - make the student aware of safety issues. • Inform the student if you make any physical changes to the room. This applies to all students with special needs. A change in routine can be very difficult for a student who struggles with transitions. KNOW THE PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENT OF YOUR CLASSROOM • Reserve front seats for students with special needs with low-vision. Make sure they are not near windows or uncontrolled lighting to prevent glare or other light issues. • Make sure that good lighting is available in the room. KNOW THE PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENT OF YOUR CLASSROOM • Integrate students with physical disabilities. Do not isolate these students because of wheelchairs, walkers, or other equipment necessary for their success in your classroom. • When you make a change to the routine, mark the changes in several ways in the classroom (on the board, near folders, or equipment used for class). • Keep the classroom neat and clear of clutter. • Seat students with special needs near equipment if students are going to be moving to that equipment during class. KNOW YOUR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STYLE • Use seating arrangements to facilitate good behavior management. • Provide a rehearsal outline for all students to increase time on-task. • Use a signal or word that you have prearranged with a student to notify the student when his/her behavior is not appropriate. KNOW YOUR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STYLE • Work with special education teachers. Try to use the same behavior management plan to provide greater consistency for the special learner. • Be available for parent/teacher conferences, particularly for students who are having difficulty in your class. • Make sure all students know they are of value to the group. KNOW YOUR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STYLE • Be flexible and modify classroom expectations when necessary to help all students succeed in your classroom. • Avoid power struggles with students. Provide specific instructions and feedback regarding behavior privately rather than risk a verbal struggle in front of the class. KNOW YOUR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STYLE • Be positive whenever possible (80%-20% is ideal). Be sure you know what reinforces a behavior (this can vary according to the student). KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP • Before asking for outside help, make sure you have done everything possible to solve the situation yourself. If you have already tried several solutions, you will be better able to define the problem precisely. KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP • Begin by asking the instructional aide, classroom teacher, or special education teacher. They will be able to describe their strategies and give you some ideas. KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP • If these strategies do not work, request a conference with the parents (or guardians), teachers, (and students if practical). Try to create a new plan. Make sure the plan has a definite beginning and ending date, and make a date to meet again if the plan is not working. KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP • If all efforts continue to fail, ask for help from the administration. At this point, you will have a lot of information gathered and can show that you have sought the advice and help of the teachers and parents (or guardians) of the student. KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP • If nothing seems to work, all personnel are involved, all accommodations are being made, and the student is still failing to succeed in the class, then your classroom may not be the least restrictive environment for that student. You do have the right to request a change in classroom environment. KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE • There are many sources of help available to you. The instructional aides, classroom teachers, special education teachers, site administration, central administration, and local agencies are all there to help you. • Seek outside help whenever necessary to secure the best possible classroom environment for all students. EINSTEIN QUOTE • Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on • its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole • life believing it is stupid.