In the beginning, it is often helpful to place students with differences and disabilities near an excellent student who can model appropriate behaviors.
This can be good, as long as the "model student" does not feel uncomfortable about being an example for their classmate, but this most likely would not be an issue. I do agree that learning by observing ones peers is a great method.
it is imperative for music educators to strive for a caring, inclusive environment that is conducive for all students to learn.
This is, again, something that is so important. If you want your students to enjoy learning and enjoy being at school in your class, you have to create an environment that will foster that feeling.
Carson loves knowing when his teachers care about his well-being
I think this is something that educators forget about sometimes. Students just want to be known and seen by their teachers. If they feel that way, they will be more open to participating and overall more engaged in the classroom.
I told him that he could come up with an eight-beat rhythmic pattern and then hand the materials over to me (“1, 2, ready, go,” he played, and then passed the materials back with no problem).
This is so smart. Kids love to be creative and show off what they can do, so this was a great way of getting Carson's mood back up.
Carson loves routine and knowing details
These are common traits in people with special needs, especially those on the autism spectrum. It is incredibly important to know this about your students with special needs, and it seems like the teacher in this vignette was doing an excellent job!
Do not assume that the inclusion classroom is always the least restrictive environment (LRE). Some students with learning differences function best in a self-contained classroom free of the distractions of an included classroom. Often, these can be opportunities for reverse inclusion, where a general education class can join a self-contained classroom for music.
I totally agree with this, I think that inclusion classrooms can be great but they aren't always best for every student. Some special ed students can be easily overstimulated in loud, bright, crowded settings, which would make for a more restrictive environment (which is not the goal). I also love the idea of "reverse inclusion." So many students in general classes do not learn how to interact with students that are different than them, but it is something that is important and can really help students build empathy, patience, and overall better understanding of those who are different from them. Today during my student teaching I got to see some students come in to work with a special ed class during their general music class period, which I thought was great. These students were very kind and patient and engaging with the special ed students, and it really showed that these bonds can be made between all different students.
In the area of music teacher education (i.e., practicum settings), we have found that peer-planned lessons (undergraduate students planning lessons together) in small groups work well for initial experiences in teaching music to students with differences and disabilities (Hourigan, 2007).
I agree with this, but only to a certain extent. As much as teaching and planning is about what will work best for the students, it is also about what works best for you as an educator; if you are working with peers/colleagues to plan a lesson for any class, special ed or not, it can sometimes be a challenge to come to a collective conclusion on how to best go about teaching. I usually enjoy collaborating with my fellow future music educators, but I have also experienced some more difficult group work settings.
Several components (observation; serving as a one-on-one assistant; discussion and coaching; reflection; and planning) are crucial for successful practicum experiences in which preservice and in-service music teachers gain as much as possible through observation and participation.
I can personally attest to this statement. I have worked with special needs students at a summer camp for kids who use AAC devices to communicate which gave me the opportunity to learn more about meeting their needs and teaching them in ways that reach them best. I have also observed special ed classes within a few schools, giving me a more classroom-oriented view of how to work with special ed students. I also know that it is important to hear from other professionals and even parents of kids with special needs to gain even more perspective on how to work with their students/children. Getting to know each student and their needs is crucial when it comes to figuring out how to structure content for them.
Often, this lack of understanding results in either glossing over the topic or ignoring it altogether.
In my opinion, music teacher educators need to make these topics a priority for their students. Just because previous generations did not learn about special ed and helping engage with students with learning disabilities does not mean that our current generation should miss out on it too. It is our teachers' and professors' responsibility to educate themselves so that they can educate us. Sure, we can supplement our own education by seeking out information on our own, but we should also be receiving this knowledge in our classes.
music educators must be resourceful in gaining insight into the skills, strategies, and understandings that accompany the experience of teaching students with differences and disabilities.
This is so true; music educators often do not get enough education on how to effectively reach students with disabilities and learning differences, which means we have to seek out further guidance on how to best meet the needs of those students.