During parent/teacher conferences, we would hear of the impulsive, disruptive, and immature behaviors exhibited by our daughter. We would also be told, repeatedly, that her handwriting was unacceptable and her organization skills were lacking.
It is interesting to me that even at a specialized school for top performing students, that the teachers were not more educated that these might be common traits for the students they teach.
This complicated learning profile can flummox many teachers, who may resort to labels of behaviors and things that irritate them rather than a thoughtful consideration of the whole child and what he or she brings to the classroom. Moreover, the longer a child traverses a public school system without receiving appropriate services to meet his or her needs, the higher the likelihood of failure, disappointment, decreased self-esteem, and depression.
I can think of many examples of students like these in my own schooling experience and it makes me wonder if they were really an unruly, disrespectful kid or if something else was going on. It is hard as a teacher when you have so many students to dive in deep like this but it SO important for the student if you do.
I asked my student to stop playing, and we listened to Hollie literally sing before she could speak. Her expressive language soon began to increase rapidly and was almost always preceded by vocal explorations and improvisatory singing.
I am curious to know what the science is behind people being able to communicate through music before speech. I think there must be something very primal about it.
After months of providing data and documentation and delivering increasingly distressed pleas for assistance, we were finally referred to a developmental pediatrician and placed on the waiting list for an appointment.
I think this is the case for a lot of people. It is a long process to get any intervention or type of assistance when kids are this young. I wonder why this is.
Some research has shown that students who perform at an average to below-average level in the inclusion classroom benefit more from a heterogeneous classroom. For gifted students, however, the opposite is true. They benefit more from homogeneous grouping with other students who are gifted (Winebrenner, 2001). A few guidelines for working with students who are gifted include less emphasis on drills and repetition in the classroom. Furthermore, students who are gifted respond to increased opportunities to demonstrate mastery and to differentiation strategies that include adaptations to content, process, product, environment, and assessment (Winebrenner, 2001). Using grouping strategies in the music classroom will benefit the academic enrichment of students who are gifted.
I found this interesting because how can you have it both ways by separating the gifted kids but including average to below-average students? Who do you pick?
More work does not necessarily mean a student is learning or is engaged. Students who are gifted can begin to feel their giftedness is a punishment if they are consistently asked or required to complete a greater quantity of work. Choosing quality opportunities that match the interest of students will genuinely be of benefit to students who are gifted.
I think this is great point that teachers should recognize more. One of my biggest questions when it comes to teaching students like this who need this differentiation is how do we deal with the social issue that might arise? If other students see that Johnny is getting different work and make a fuss about it, how do we redirect it without making it a big deal?
The lowest 2% to 3% of students, when viewed according to IQ scores, receive the bulk of services, personnel, and funding to facilitate their education (Winner, 1996). Students with IQs ranging in the top 2% to 3% often experience very little in the way of services and supplementary aides (Winner, 1996).
This disparity shocked me at first but then when I reflected on my own experiences, I couldn't recall a time where I saw a gifted or talented student receive services.
Some research has shown that students from diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic levels are disproportionately absent from gifted programs, particularly those programs that use group IQ testing as the primary assessment vehicle for acceptance (Webb et al., 1994; Winner, 1996).
This unfortunately does not surprise me. In all of my studies thus far, it is evident that socioeconomic class plays a HUGE role in what services people receive.
School systems set their own benchmarks for IQ testing and services. Generally, the baseline IQ range for services is between 125 and 145.
I don't know how to feel about this. I guess there is not one standard so each child can get the services they need. But what happens to a child who moves and who no longer qualifies for services because they don't meet the new score requirement?
Through the standardization process, Terman determined that intelligence is fixed and will not change over time (Terman, 1925). He was the first person to use the term gifted (Terman & Oden, 1959; Walker, 1991). Terman defined giftedness as the top 1% level in general intelligence ability, as measured by the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale or a comparable instrument (Terman & Oden, 1947).
I think it is interesting that it took this long to coin the term gifted. Along with other differences, it still fascinates me all of this research and academic stride forward is so recent.
A small caveat to this strategy is to not use the same students for each class meeting. “Buddy burnout” can be a negative factor among students who are consistently asked to partner with students with differences and disabilities. Also, consider only using a student helper for the portion of class when a student with differences and disabilities will need assistance. Another successful strategy is to ask a student with differences and disabilities to assist someone else. This has been a powerful reminder to all students that those with differences and disabilities have areas of strengths as well.
I am happy to be learning about this because this is something that I have not considered before. Allowing students to help each other is very important but how you frame it is just as or more so important. "Buddy burnout" is also a new concept I am interested in learning more about.
It is very effective to follow the same strategies used by other teachers and staff members. Consistency is important in that it lessens the number of transitions required during the school day. Music educators will find it very helpful to talk with other team members and colleagues to define a set of expectations and possible consequences prior to the first day of school.
Paraprofessionals are also such a huge resource when it comes to having students with disabilities in your class. They know the students very well because they spend so much time one on one with the students and usually have very effective strategies on managing behaviors.
Give students many opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge (academic and social) and allow them to respond in the method that is most comfortable for them (visual, kinesthetic, or oral).
I see this in action when I am student teaching this semester with my co-op in beginning band. We try to ask lots of questions to the students to demonstrate their knowledge, have them demonstrate their skills, and have them interact with technology when being assessed for learning.
Students often are keenly aware of their own limitations and of what strategies will assist them to be more successful during instruction.
I never considered this idea before this reading. Students are much more aware than we realize as adults and as educators. I think including them to the extent that is appropriate is a great tool and helps them understand their role and value.
Some teachers create class rules that are too vague, ask too much or too little of students, or compile a lengthy list of rules that are difficult to remember, comply with, and enforce. Begin with a few rules that are general enough to be adapted to many situations and are easy to remember.
I know some classroom teachers in the beginning of the school year have the students come up with class rules to follow as a group. This is a great way to get students involved in the expectations of behavior. It also gives them a voice for how they would like to build their classroom community.
Music therapists are more concerned with how music can assist in the development of nonmusical goals rather than skill sets.
I think there can be some overlap between music educators and music therapists in terms of what our goals are. I know Montclair has a music therapy program and it would be interesting to learn more about it.
. First, write strategies and thoughts down as soon as you finish teaching. Find time to sit and reflect on what just happened and how it may impact future lessons with students or the overall environment in the music classroom.
I think this could be difficult advice for the schedules I have experiences at the 6 different schools I have been at. Maybe you could do a deep reflection right after if you have a prep or lunch, but many times you are ushering in new kids as the previous ones leave. I think reflection is important, but this does not seem realistic to me.
paraprofessional
I have seen lots of paraprofessionals in my time observing and most of them have great intentions and are super helpful with the kids. I have also seen how paraprofessionals can step on the toes of music teachers, and it be kind of awkward. It is definitely an important and delicate relationship to have as a music teacher.
This opportunity may also allow music educators to learn techniques from the current paraprofessional working with the student with differences and disabilities that may be useful in the music classroom.
I think observation is very important and can be beneficial for music teachers, but I wish there was more support from admin to complete this task. From what I have observed and what I am currently experiencing in my student teaching placement, music teachers tend to have full schedules and even miss their preps at some points to teach their students. Realistically, when is this observation supposed to take place?
Licensure requirements can leave little room for “special” topics in the methods classroom.
Our degree is so jammed packed with so many other requirements that I wish we focused more on this. I wonder if other elective teaching programs like art, gym, or technology have certain courses or a better way to implement more education on this topic into the curriculum.