1.) The author (a former art teacher) shares her personal experiences of how she wasn’t respectful and didn’t understand what her students with disabilities in her art room needed. Have you ever felt, uncertain, scared, or even frustrated working with students with disabilities, like the author did? Describe your experience and share what you learned from it?
I have been a respite care worker for Ada about 9 months and there are still things I am learning
from her. One of her family’s goals for her is to have a lot of community exposure, which includes
going on walks, going to stores and going to the movie theater. Although I agree with her parents
that having Ada out in public is good for her, I still get a little embarrassed in different circumstances
often because of societal norms. For example, at target we often get stared at because of the noises
she is making such as shrieks, a low humming or clapping. Or even at the movie theaters, ‘normally’
you sit amongst a multitude of strangers in silence and without many distractions, just watching the
movie. However, with Ada, that is not how it goes, she may get excited from a part of the movie and
begin jumping in her stroller or clapping or many other sounds. I can’t see other people in the theater
but just guessing they are probably pretty frustrated because they can’t watch their movie in silence.
I feel bad, but also remember that Ada needs to be round other just as much as others need to be
around Ada. And many of the noises Ada is making is her talking and her way of communicating.
From these situations I have learned that patience and understanding are valuable skills that I wish
was more abundant in society.
from her. One of her family’s goals for her is to have a lot of community exposure, which includes
going on walks, going to stores and going to the movie theater. Although I agree with her parents
that having Ada out in public is good for her, I still get a little embarrassed in different circumstances
often because of societal norms. For example, at target we often get stared at because of the noises
she is making such as shrieks, a low humming or clapping. Or even at the movie theaters, ‘normally’
you sit amongst a multitude of strangers in silence and without many distractions, just watching the
movie. However, with Ada, that is not how it goes, she may get excited from a part of the movie and
begin jumping in her stroller or clapping or many other sounds. I can’t see other people in the theater
but just guessing they are probably pretty frustrated because they can’t watch their movie in silence.
I feel bad, but also remember that Ada needs to be round other just as much as others need to be
around Ada. And many of the noises Ada is making is her talking and her way of communicating.
From these situations I have learned that patience and understanding are valuable skills that I wish
was more abundant in society.
2.) How can you adapt your lessons for students with disabilities while still keeping it aimed toward their interests and still challenge them? What are some ways you would make your curriculum and classroom environment more adaptive for student with disabilities? List at least 3 ways.
Most importantly, I would get to know my students and build relationship. It is impossible to
accommodate a lesson for someone you do not know. Not only personally get to know them but also
if the student in your classroom has a disability and they have a para it's also important to
communicate with the para. By getting to know the student I can better plan for lesson that are one,
interesting to them or two, accommodations or adaptations to the lesson. I would plan my lessons
not to fit the majority of the class but whole class. For example, at spectrum, we noticed there was a
lot of interest in play-doh, so we had a clay lesson (which is super easy to make:
https://kidcreatestudio.com/homemade-model-magic/) where we planned for the students with
sensory difficulties, so we had gloves and zip-lock baggies as well as another activity if that too was
not appealing. Also its important to being adaptable and willing to let the lesson be altered for the
enjoyment of the students. Overall it's important to find a way to incorporate the things that they are
interested in, be willing to adapt your lesson and have a plan b activity for and alternative to the
lesson.
accommodate a lesson for someone you do not know. Not only personally get to know them but also
if the student in your classroom has a disability and they have a para it's also important to
communicate with the para. By getting to know the student I can better plan for lesson that are one,
interesting to them or two, accommodations or adaptations to the lesson. I would plan my lessons
not to fit the majority of the class but whole class. For example, at spectrum, we noticed there was a
lot of interest in play-doh, so we had a clay lesson (which is super easy to make:
https://kidcreatestudio.com/homemade-model-magic/) where we planned for the students with
sensory difficulties, so we had gloves and zip-lock baggies as well as another activity if that too was
not appealing. Also its important to being adaptable and willing to let the lesson be altered for the
enjoyment of the students. Overall it's important to find a way to incorporate the things that they are
interested in, be willing to adapt your lesson and have a plan b activity for and alternative to the
lesson.
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| From the clay lesson at spectrum |
3.) The author from chapter 20 discusses how she left out artists with disabilities in her curriculum, therefore not providing experiences for her disabled students to see themselves represented in art class. Find an artist with a disability who you could include in a typical art lesson as an artist example. Share this artist and tell why they would be a good choice.
Geoffrey Mikol: (a person born with down syndrome) (is someone I have met, bought work from and visited his
gallery called River Bend) Geoffrey is an amazing landscape photographer and if you are doing a
lesson on landscape photography, he definitely is a good example. He also has an interesting way of
taking photos, when he is out in nature for a while and think about what he is going to shoot, he only
take one or two shots. Also good example of a young artist able to make a living from his artwork.
gallery called River Bend) Geoffrey is an amazing landscape photographer and if you are doing a
lesson on landscape photography, he definitely is a good example. He also has an interesting way of
taking photos, when he is out in nature for a while and think about what he is going to shoot, he only
take one or two shots. Also good example of a young artist able to make a living from his artwork.
Niam Jain: (a person with autism and limited speech) Niam is an abstract painter who is a good example
of a young artist making a living on his artwork. For Niam painting is his way of communication and
could be a good example to students that art can be an outlet for expressing themselves and it
doesn’t have to be realistic.
of a young artist making a living on his artwork. For Niam painting is his way of communication and
could be a good example to students that art can be an outlet for expressing themselves and it
doesn’t have to be realistic.
Melissa Mccracken: (a person with synesthesia) Melissa is a good example of abstract painting but like Niam,
it is expressive.
it is expressive.
John Bramblitt: (a person who is legally blind) I am currently reading his book shouting in the darkness.
In his 20's, John becomes blind and very depressed, he eventually turns to painting as way of
expressing himself.
In his 20's, John becomes blind and very depressed, he eventually turns to painting as way of
expressing himself.
Hi Rachel! I absolutely loved reading about your experiences with Ada. I love your statement about Ada being as good for other people in public, as they are for her to be around. I completely agree! I have rarely been to the store and noticed someone on the spectrum or with other cognitive disabilities. When I have seen people in public who have a disability, I feel like I have to tell myself not to stare. I think if the general public was around people with easily recognizable disabilities more often, they would be more comfortable around them. I think then differences between these individuals and someone who does not have the same disabilities would seem just like all other ways people are different. It would not feel separate from the social norm. People would then recognize that when someone is not silent in a movie theater it shouldn't be an annoyance, because it not something they are doing intentionally. If perception always matched intention, there would be much less frustration and a lot more understanding in the world.
ReplyDeleteRachel, You shared some wonderful artists and I appreciated seeing all the videos to help me see all the beautiful art created by a wide variety of artists. It can be difficult at first to get used to someone with unique characteristics due to their disability but after a little time and patience (as you mentioned) this will ease and people adjust. I like that you brought up how it is society that needs to work on it, not the person with the disability! Great work :)
ReplyDeleteRachel, I can definitely say that I've shared some of the same emotions that you have when you take Ada out. My buddy this year for Shine On is very young so directions are tough to follow for him and he has a few different attention seeking behaviors. Sometimes I feel embarrassed when he does one of his behaviors, but its important to realize that while we may be causing small disruptions in the lives of others, we are also making positive change. We are building the social skills of the people we advocate for and we are raising awareness and acceptance of people with varying abilities. -Audrey Klunenberg
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your personal experience with going out in public with people with special needs. My brother is a survivor of bacterial meningitus and it affected all of his extremidies so he looks a little different than most "normal" people so sometimes he gets stares in pubic. People get uncomfortable when interacting with different people and I think that exposure to that is needed to learn to be nonjudgemental and form better communication skills. This ties into the classroom because it relates to getting to know your students and not gauge them based on surface level interaction.