No Limits, No Excuses

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No Limits, No Excuses

• Reaching Students with Special Needs through
  Participation in
• Music and Dance

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Project History The What

• Began at Bingham High in 1994
• Peer interaction only
• Involved student peers in all 4 art forms
• Grant from Utah State Office of Education

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Management and Support
Fine Arts Special Education Project
Funding
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Project Description The How

• The purpose of this project is to use music and
  movement therapy in conjunction with peer
  interaction to help students with special needs
  meet their IEP (Individualized Education Plan)
  goals.

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What is Music Therapy?

• A health profession using music and music
  activities to address physical, psychological,
  cognitive and social needs of individuals with
  disabilities
• The use of music in the accomplishment of
  therapeutic aims

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To Be a Music Therapist

• Bachelors Degree in Music Therapy
• Broad field of study including Psychology,
  Special Education, and Human Relations classes
• General Music and Music Therapy specific classes
• Six month internship

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Continuing Education

• National Board Certification Test
• Credentials MT-BC
• Retake test every 5 years to have a professional
  standard and to ensure continuing knowledge
• Requirements are similar for dance/movement
  therapists

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Whats the difference between a music teacher and
a music therapist?

• Music Teacher End result is the quality of the
  music. (Product)

• Music Therapist End result is what happens
  because of the music. (Process)

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Jordan Project Overview

• Use music therapy and dance (movement) therapy
  during special education class time, measuring
  IEP goals
• Combine special education students with regular
  education music and dance students
• Hold an end of year performance for parents and
  friends

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IEP Goals and Music Therapy

• Applicable to the nature of music groups
• Enhanced by music intern attendance and modeling
• Enhance Communication
• Improve Focus
• Increase Leadership Skills

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Setting IEP Goals

• IEP Goals are specific to the students needs
• One or two specific goals are set for
  participation in this project
• Music and Movement are the vehicles by which
  students are engaged
• Peers deliver the music and movement activities
  under the direction of the certified therapist
  and special education teacher

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Example Enhance Communication

• Eye contact, verbal responses, making choices,
  etc.
• Goal To improve communication
• Objective Given the therapist asking a question
  using the students name, the student will
  respond verbally or nonverbally for four out of
  five trials for four consecutive sessions.

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One students results
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Example Improve Focus

• On-task behavior, impulse control, etc.
• Goal To improve participation
• Objective Given a handbell, instrument, or
  another music-based prop and intervention, the
  student will respond by keeping the bell or prop
  in her hand and ready to play when the therapist
  or intern cues her for four out of five trials
  for four consecutive sessions

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One students results
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Example Leadership Skills

• Leadership skills, voluntary participation, etc.
• Goal To improve leadership skills
• Objective Given a music session, the student
  will respond by taking a leadership role as
  defined by helping another student with a musical
  task, handing out or putting away instruments, or
  another behavior that goes beyond normal
  participation at least three times per session
  for four consecutive sessions.

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One students results
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IEP Goals and Dance Therapy

• Applicable to the nature of dance groups
• Enhanced by dance intern attendance and modeling
• Gross Motor Skills
• Sensory Motor Integration
• Social Skills Personal Space

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Student Interns

• Recruited as volunteers from regular education
  band, orchestra and choir classes
• Attended and assisted in each session
• Wrote overall session notes and individual
  analysis of students reaction to the music

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Current Project

• Involves 4 district high schools
• Music Therapist
• Dance and Movement Therapist
• Special Education students and teachers
• Music and Dance students and teachers

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Project Description The Why

• Enhanced learning takes place for students with
  special needs.
• On task behaviors increase
• More eye contact
• Recognize personal space self and others
• Compliance to requests
• Improved listening skills
• Improved communication skills
• Improved social skills i.e. taking turns,
  respecting others

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Additional Benefits to Students with Special Needs

• Development of leisure time activities-music and
  dance as free time choices
• Recognition of their own preferences in music and
  dance styles
• Participation at their own level of ability
• Development of personal talents
• Performance experience in front of an audience of
  family, peers and faculty members
• Recognition for their ABILITIES, not their
  disabilities

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Project Description The Why (continued)

• Enhanced learning takes place on the part of the
  student interns who instruct their peers with
  special needs.
• Students have experience setting measurable goals
  and planning lessons
• Students have experience teaching and interacting
  with their peers who have special needs
• Students have practical experience in data
  gathering and interpretation

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Intern Feedback

• I loved working with them on a personal level.
• Music affected everyone and it was for the
  better.
• Its a lot of fun to work with the special ed
  kids and see how they react to musical
  situations.
• It was very hard to relate to her (a specific
  student) and I did once or twice. It felt
  great.

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Continuing Intern Responses

• Two past interns are studying Music Therapy at
  Utah State University.
• Three past interns are planning to study Music
  Therapy after they complete general education
  requirements.
• Five past interns have requested information
  about Music Therapy for research papers.

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Therapy Interventions

• Active Music Therapy vs. Passive Music Therapy
• Creativity creating music and instruments,
  choreographing movement.
• Education classical pieces, instruments,
  composers, dance.
• Teamwork handbells, group activities, working
  toward performance goal.

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Final Performance

• Is not the end result. What happens because of
  the performance is part of the end result.
• Provides an opportunity to share what they have
  accomplished during the year.
• Allows students to experience and learn to cope
  with performance anxiety.
• Enhances self-esteem.

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Success Stories

• Friendship between students and interns
• Self correction
• Self expression
• Jordan Highs assembly performance

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The Bottom Line

• Music and Dance Therapy help special education
  students in reaching their IEP goals
• and so much more

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Questions? Comments?

• Julie Christofferson Curriculum Consultant for
  Jordan School District julie.christofferson_at_jordan
  .k12.ut.us
• Pamela Keele Special Education Instructor for
  Riverton High School pamela.keele_at_jordan.k12.ut.u
  s
• Paige Moore, MT-BC Music Therapist
  paigerachel.moore_at_jordan.k12.ut.us

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Bibliography

• Davis, William B. et al. (1992). An Introduction
  to Music Therapy Theory and Practice. Dubuque,
  Iowa William C. Brown Publishing.
• Dewey, John. (1934). Arts as Experience. New
  York Minton, Branch and Co.
• Gardner, Howard. (1999). Intelligence Reframed
  Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New
  York Basic Books.
• Gardner, Howard (1983). Frames of Mind The
  Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York
  Basic Books.
• Presidents Committee on the Arts and the
  Humanities and Arts Education Partnership.
  (1999). Gaining the Arts Advantage Lessons
  from School Districts that Value Arts Education.
• Sobol, Elise S. (2001). An Attitude and Approach
  for Teaching Music to Special Learners. Raleigh,
  North Carolina Pentland Press, Inc.
• U.S. Department of Education, National Center for
  Education Statistics. Arts Education in Public
  Elementary and Secondary Schools. (1999-2000).
  NCES 2002-131, by Nancy Carey, Brian Kleiner,
  Rebecca Porch and Elizabeth Farris. Project
  Officer Shelly Burns. Washington, DC 2002.