We're All in This Together - Maureen Butler

We're All In This Together:

Fostering a Team Approach When Teaching Special Learners

Maureen Butler maureenbutlermusic[at]gmail.com

Since the start of the new school year, we have been reacquainting ourselves with former students, meeting new students, and experiencing a (hopefully) more typical school year than last year. By now, too, we’re beginning to recognize the needs of our special learners. Some have been classified; we’ve seen either their full IEP or its summary, and we know what strategies are recommended for each student. We may also have noticed or identified some behaviors in students who have not been classified yet, and have put them on our mental “radar.”

This year, some behaviors we are seeing might be exacerbated because of the difficulties of the past year; some are indicators of an underlying condition, and some may simply be difficulties readjusting to the new routines of classroom life. How do we determine if a behavior is related to a disability, or separate from the disability?

Some music teachers feel that they’re alone; they have questions or concerns and don’t know where to turn for help. Whether you are an experienced or first-year teacher, the only music teacher in your building or one of several, it’s helpful to be aware of the team of professionals on your staff that can be a valuable asset as you try to include all students in your class. Throughout my teaching career, I learned to rely on my colleagues’ expertise when I had questions about some of my special learners.

***

Angelina* was one of my students who was regularly seen by an occupational therapist (OT). In my class, she was having trouble covering the holes of the recorder, something that many children struggle with at first. However, her real problem was that she had trouble sensing where the holes were - she was not getting enough tactile feedback. Her OT recommended surrounding each hole with layers of glitter glue to improve her awareness of where the holes were, and this helped Angelina - and it didn’t hurt that she loved the rainbow colors!

An OT is able to look at the tasks we assign our students, and analyze the components that may be difficult for some. In doing so, they can come up with a plan to help students be successful. They can help you develop strategies for students with visual spatial issues who have difficulty distinguishing the lines and spaces on a staff, or those with small motor issues who have trouble coordinating fingering, and would be a good resource when selecting an instrument for a student to learn.

***

Sarah enjoyed music class, and wanted to dance, but had difficulty sequencing the order of the moves in order to copy them. She would watch my demonstration of simple dance moves, and nod her head eagerly, but had trouble putting one move after the other, even while watching me. She also had difficulty with side-stepping, which was a part of a simple dance routine her class would be performing in our holiday show.

Her physical therapist (PT) incorporated these tasks into Sarah’s regularly scheduled therapy sessions. By breaking down the moves into smaller steps and working on them together, over time Sarah was able to perform the dance moves in the correct sequence. Her self-confidence grew, and she was thrilled to show her skills to her family and friends.

Like the OT, the PT analyzes physical tasks; with their specific knowledge of students’ physical abilities and limitations, they design activities that help children develop the ability to master skills. Both the OT and PT are aware of sensory processing disorders that may be affecting student behavior in our classes. They can let us know if children are hypersensitive (overreactive) or hyposensitive (underreactive) to sound, visual input, or tactile input from our music classes

that might have a negative effect on them. I’ve always been amazed with the insights I gain after a discussion with these professionals, and they in many ways shaped how I prepare for, teach, and react to all students, not only those with special needs.

***

Luis was a new student who arrived mid-year. He was quiet and nervous, and didn’t want to participate in any activity. I didn’t push the issue the first day, giving him time to adjust to his new surroundings. Afterwards, I spoke with one of the school’s mental health professionals who informed me that Luis had anxiety issues compounded by a difficult home life. She reinforced my desire to let him get acclimated and gently encourage him to take part in the lesson. Eventually Luis became more comfortable and began to participate appropriately and confidently in my class.

Social workers, psychologists, and counselors can help us understand student behaviors, devise strategies to address them, and counsel us as we work to ensure that all our students develop and grow. They can be an important liaison with parents, as well. ***

Mateo, who had autism spectrum disorder, enjoyed music but was refusing to cooperate in many settings in school. His special education teacher devised a behavior management plan to be followed in her own classroom, as well as in allied arts, physical education, and therapy sessions. This plan included positive rewards for following teacher expectations, and was highly motivational for Mateo.

The special education teacher who works with students daily can be a great resource for you. They can share information about how their student learns, how their disability affects learning and behavior, triggers that may set off misbehaviors, and strategies to help them succeed in your class. ***

Lucy came to every class with a personal paraprofessional. In addition to learning disabilities, she had difficulty following classroom procedures and was easily distracted. Her paraprofessional sat close to Lucy, redirected her as needed, and reminded her about different classroom procedures. She assisted her with reading and writing activities, pointing out the lyrics of a song as we sang, and helping her with worksheets.

One-on-one paraprofessionals can help us understand the communication, social, and learning issues of their student. They are aware of the child’s day-to-day emotions and reactions, and can make us aware of anything out of the ordinary that might be affecting student behavior.

For students with physical disabilities, they can help hold and manipulate rhythm instruments or model a steady beat. They can give valuable insight about how their student functions in other classroom settings and with other students as well.

***

Additionally, foster connections with your colleagues who are allied arts and physical education teachers. They may be seeing some of the same behaviors that you are, and can share strategies that they’ve found successful.

As music teachers, we’re happy to assist when a colleague reaches out to us for help; don’t hesitate to ask others. When we reach out to the team of professionals who work with us, we all can help all students learn and flourish in our classes.

*Note: Student names have been changed for confidentiality purposes.