Special Ed Music Program
Spring Valley Academy, San Diego, California
Description
The purpose of the project was to create a fully inclusive performance based music program that pairs students with special needs and physical disabilities with general ed students who have never before enjoyed a performance opportunity.
Playing a musical instrument engages us mentally, physically and emotionally like no other activity and bond performers in a unique way. We wanted all of our students, regardless of ability, to benefit from this process.
Performance now includes handbells, Orff instruments, boomwhackers and bucket drums.
Target Audience
Parents, students and the community at large.
Costs
$1,200 on Orff instruments, hand bells, and boomwhackers.
Success/Effectiveness Measurement
We measured the success by conducting a survey both at the beginning and again at the end asking students to rate their experience with music as well as an anticipatory set of what they expected to learn or accomplish.
Success was further measured by observation and by audience response. We deemed our class successful by the knowledge rolled forward with returning students. We deem the class successful by the encouraging results of student response and our administrations desire for the class to continue and by the school district showing interest in the class being duplicated at other sites.
We asked the question at the beginning, “will a class like this improve knowledge and understanding between the peers, will music be of a benefit to them?” When you observe student who are “normal” bonding with others who are learning or physically disabled, when you see students who are medically fragile respond to the sound and activity of music you know you are being successful.
Community Impact
A very tearful impact. Our hearts are likely to burst as we watch students who are physically or learning impaired participate and perform en masse with other students in such a way that you cannot tell one child from another.
Advice for others?
First and foremost have patience and have fun. This is a learning process. Set up a safe place, learn together the about each other and our needs and limitations.
