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Post by Merge on Aug 21, 2015 23:44:56 GMT
I'm moving from elementary music to middle school choir this year. I found out a couple of days ago that one of my choirs is being replaced with a section of general music for a class of six boys with autism. They are fairly low functioning.
I've had students with autism in an elementary inclusion setting before, but never in a class that was meant to be designed for them. The class will be 70 minutes every other day. The teacher says most are functioning academically around a second grade level, but they're all over the map in terms of social/emotional level. They will come with at least one aide. I'm supposed to do "music and movement" or really any kind of musical activities with them.
I'm planning to stick to a routine, use a visual schedule, and break the class into four or five chunks. I'm thinking a combination of group activities and appropriate individual work. The SpEd department is getting me some instruments, props and puppets. I've found some resources online with song and movement activities specifically for autism, and of course I have seven years of elementary music experience to draw on.
My question is - do I seem to be on the right track? And what else should I know?
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Post by SockMonkey on Aug 21, 2015 23:46:49 GMT
I'm not a special ed teacher, but we have a music therapist that comes in to work with some of our very low functioning autistic students. If you can get a hold of a nearby music therapist (or connect with someone online), they may be able to help you adapt your curriculum to the needs of these students. It sounds like a challenge, but one with potential to really impact these guys. Good luck & thanks for being a teacher of the arts!  |
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AnotherPea
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Post by AnotherPea on Aug 21, 2015 23:48:00 GMT
Best of luck to you! I know it isn't easy having a sudden change in scheduling/curriculum. Not a sped teacher, so I don't have any advice but just wish you well. I hope it is lots of fun!
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Post by Merge on Aug 21, 2015 23:50:43 GMT
Thanks! I think our district has a music therapist. I will see if I can get in touch with her.
I'm actually very excited about this. The opportunity to teach to the needs of autistic students rather than having them (unfortunately) on the fringes of a class with 25 other kids in it is a new one for me.
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Post by kkrenn on Aug 21, 2015 23:53:49 GMT
My dd belongs to a theatre troupe for special needs kids and we have a lot with autism. I think you are doing a wonderful job of making sure they will have a good experience! Thank you for taking the time to care.
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Post by SabrinaM on Aug 22, 2015 0:04:46 GMT
Not at SpEd teacher but I'm the go-to sub for our Elementary SpEd classroom. I think it's fantastic that you're putting so much effort into this! I've been in schools where the music teacher played videos and they watched the Nutcracker 47x a year. Ugh. |
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Nicole in TX
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Post by Nicole in TX on Aug 22, 2015 0:07:33 GMT
What a really cool oppportunity! Good luck! I think the idea of a predictable routine is a good one.
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Post by hop2 on Aug 22, 2015 0:38:51 GMT
Darn I can't find it now. That's always the case, I should have bookmarked it but then i'd likely have everything bookmarked, LOL. Anyway I recently read an article on how the 5 basic ballet positions and simple added basic movements were helpful to students with autism because of the repetition and the fact that once taught it would always be the same. (IE the basic positions never change) And the students always knew how to begin so they were always eager to start, if they got lost they would always know where to start again. I don't remember the level of autism they were talking about in the article though. However my point is that there ought to be a wealth of knowledge out there about how music has been helpful to teaching those with autism. I did find this resource while looking for my article I couldn't find. Maybe some useful things I really don't know www.coastmusictherapy.com/free-resources/Following our job saga from the beginning I am so glad that you are getting to do so many wonderful things at your new position and to explore all the things you can share with children. How exciting!! |
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Post by freecharlie on Aug 22, 2015 0:40:41 GMT
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
thank you for think of these students and looking at it in a positive light.
I have had no less than 3 Gen ed teachers get totally pissy and damn near refuse to have my students in class.
What you are think sounds awesome. I think routine and breaks are key. Movement will be good, also maybe some time for quiet music where the imagine a story or scene you are telling them. Make sure you don't make it too static of they may not deal well when you change it up
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Post by Merge on Aug 22, 2015 1:07:08 GMT
Thanks, Freecharlie, I was hoping you'd weigh in. I love the idea of music playing while I read a story for them to imagine. I think I understand what you're saying about it not being too static. It's going to be an adventure for sure!
On a side note, one of these boys has been my student at the elementary school since first grade. He's come so far in those five years. It will be really rewarding to see him continue to grow.
Hop2, I'm afraid I'm the last person on earth who should be demonstrating ballet positions, but a routine of some kind of repetitive motion to music might be just the thing. Thanks!
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pridemom
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Post by pridemom on Aug 22, 2015 1:10:45 GMT
Wouldn't that be against least restrictive environment to have them segregated for a non-academic class? It's not a class where they are receiving SpEd Services with a SpEd teacher.
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Post by freecharlie on Aug 22, 2015 1:17:10 GMT
Wouldn't that be against least restrictive environment to have them segregated for a non-academic class? It's not a class where they are receiving SpEd Services with a SpEd teacher. nope as long as their iep is written correctly. Some students stay self-contained for everything. It depends on their needs. |
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Post by Merge on Aug 22, 2015 1:21:11 GMT
Wouldn't that be against least restrictive environment to have them segregated for a non-academic class? It's not a class where they are receiving SpEd Services with a SpEd teacher. Yes! They are hoping to recruit regular ed. students to be classmates and mentors in the class. We can't force students, but the head of SpEd says this has been done successfully before. The thing is that we are a performing and visual arts magnet school, so most of the non-academic classes are music ensembles performing at a high level. They don't make great inclusion environments. The head art teacher has been including both the autism class and the life skills class for several years, and they asked if I would help create this new class to be another rotation. If it goes well, then next year I'll get the life skills class and the autism class will go back to art. |
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pridemom
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Post by pridemom on Aug 22, 2015 1:29:01 GMT
Wouldn't that be against least restrictive environment to have them segregated for a non-academic class? It's not a class where they are receiving SpEd Services with a SpEd teacher. Yes! They are hoping to recruit regular ed. students to be classmates and mentors in the class. We can't force students, but the head of SpEd says this has been done successfully before. The thing is that we are a performing and visual arts magnet school, so most of the non-academic classes are music ensembles performing at a high level. They don't make great inclusion environments. The head art teacher has been including both the autism class and the life skills class for several years, and they asked if I would help create this new class to be another rotation. If it goes well, then next year I'll get the life skills class and the autism class will go back to art. That's a great idea. Thanks for explaining. |
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pridemom
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Post by pridemom on Aug 22, 2015 1:32:15 GMT
Wouldn't that be against least restrictive environment to have them segregated for a non-academic class? It's not a class where they are receiving SpEd Services with a SpEd teacher. nope as long as their iep is written correctly. Some students stay self-contained for everything. It depends on their needs. In our district they do not. Hubby's been in SpEd for 24 years and has mentioned that they will not segregate SpEd students for "specials" because it's discriminatory. IEP students are fully integrated for Specials, with para support if necessary. |
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Post by christine58 on Aug 22, 2015 1:37:14 GMT
Thanks! I think our district has a music therapist. I will see if I can get in touch with her. I'm actually very excited about this. The opportunity to teach to the needs of autistic students rather than having them (unfortunately) on the fringes of a class with 25 other kids in it is a new one for me. Great idea to chat with the Music therapist. It sounds to me like you're on the right track..consistency with rules etc is key. Also see if the Special Ed teacher assigned to them if they use social stories with them and incorporate your class into one. |
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Post by freecharlie on Aug 22, 2015 1:37:44 GMT
nope as long as their iep is written correctly. Some students stay self-contained for everything. It depends on their needs. In our district they do not. Hubby's been in SpEd for 24 years and has mentioned that they will not segregate SpEd students for "specials" because it's discriminatory. IEP students are fully integrated for Specials, with para support if necessary. this isn't elementary, so specials doesn't apply. It sounds to me like this is a special class made for these kids, not that they can't participate in another class. Elementary students have homerooms and they participate in specials with their class, but sometimes they also have specialize music class without peers. |
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Post by christine58 on Aug 22, 2015 1:39:56 GMT
Wouldn't that be against least restrictive environment to have them segregated for a non-academic class? It's not a class where they are receiving SpEd Services with a SpEd teacher. nope as long as their iep is written correctly. Some students stay self-contained for everything. It depends on their needs.  People tend to forget that LRE means LRE for that child/children. For some--it's integration for others it's not. |
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Post by lostwithout2peas on Aug 22, 2015 1:44:12 GMT
As a former instructional aid to kids with multiple disabilities I think this is great!! We are usually on the fringes of the classroom and seem more of a bother to the teachers when we take the kids in there for music, art, p.e or any other special that the Gen ed kids get to attend. It would make me sad that these teachers couldn't see how beautiful and unique each one of our kids where. They just saw them as disturbing their class. So thank you for taking the time to actually plan something that will Benifit them!!
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Post by elaine on Aug 22, 2015 2:19:55 GMT
Both of my boys love to sing! Even if some of the kids in your class are non-verbal, simple songs are still fun usually. One thing to think about is simple songs that you can also teach the ASL signs for. The non-verbal kids can learn those, and the verbal kids usually like learning signs too. It is a way to incorporate movement into music.
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Post by Merge on Aug 22, 2015 2:52:25 GMT
Both of my boys love to sing! Even if some of the kids in your class are non-verbal, simple songs are still fun usually. One thing to think about is simple songs that you can also teach the ASL signs for. The non-verbal kids can learn those, and the verbal kids usually like learning signs too. It is a way to incorporate movement into music. Great idea, thanks! |
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Post by freecharlie on Aug 22, 2015 3:58:56 GMT
I loved doing the song Sammy by Hap Palmer (I think) with my students. They could sing or they could just do the motions. (this is a story about Sammy, his father sent him out to buy bread, but sammy didn't feel like walking. he wished he could fly instead). My students also loved stomp and clap |
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Time to get off the internet!
People tend to forget that LRE means LRE for that child/children. For some--it's integration for others it's not.
