This makes me think about how I could learn a lot from working closely with paraprofessionals. Seeing the techniques they use with students who have differences or disabilities could give me new ideas for how I support all my students in the music classroom. It reminds me that I don’t have to figure everything out on my own.

After working with a student who had a processing delay during my student teaching, I realized how important it was to reflect right after teaching. One class, I noticed that the student consistently came in early during a call-and-response rhythm activity. In the moment, I simply helped to the best of my ability. But as soon as the class ended, I wrote down what happened, how the student processes information, and what strategies seemed to help them most.

During my observations of seeing a middle school general music class, I worked closely with a student who had sensory sensitivities. I noticed that loud, sudden sounds often caused them to shut down which made it hard to participate in full-class activities. When seeing their reactions, I realized that using noise-canceling headphones during particularly loud sections and giving clear, step-by-step instructions helped them stay engaged and gave the student space to succeed.