Charles Michael Bell

I Can Perform My Way

Area of Focus and/or Research Question:

Are all students capable of performing? Are all students provided the opportunity to perform? These two questions have weighed on me for the past 20 years of my teaching career. Yes, all students are capable. However, not all students are provided the opportunity.

Action Plan:

As a music teacher, I have witnessed that a great number of students find excitement and accomplishment through performing, but some students, due to a mental or physical disability, may never get this same opportunity. If we continually speak of total inclusion for every student then we need to see it come to fruition, and I truly believe we have found a way for this to be a reality. During the 2016-2017, Allen Elementary School’s STLP students began the process of developing assistive technological devices to ensure that all AES students would be able to participate in a school-wide performance using their own creativity. We were successful! Some of our special needs students performed in our spring performance – THEIR WAY with the least restrictive environment possible by the help of materials created by Bare Conductive. The results were amazing! Students that tend to be hidden and restricted were giving center stage to create and perform their way. Parents, grandparents and audience members were brought to tears as they witnessed this excitement and accomplishment as actual performers. However, there is further work to be done to ensure all students can perform to the best of their abilities. During the 2017-2018, we will develop more special assistive technological devices that ensure every student with disabilities can perform whether it be sitting, standing or on the move. These devices will be tested throughout the school year and completed in time for these students to perform within our spring performance in April 2018.