Teaching students with profound special needs is a different experience than teaching typical students. Karen discusses this in relation to goals and expectations, your own confidence, and dealing with parents' expectations. Topics include: Introduction (00:05) Teacher Temperament (04:18) Readiness to Progress (10:11) Visually Impaired Students Learning Tactilely (14:08) Teacher Expectations & Flexibility (19:48) Relating to Parents (30:20) Helpful Books on the Autism Spectrum (38:31) Teacher History & Meeting with Parents (40:16) Persisting with Very Slow Progress (46:02) Click through the…
I need some help or suggestions form those of you who have experience in teaching autistic children. I started recently with my first autistic student (6-year-old boy), and I really love him. He can be quite fun and funny at times! He is verbal and from the start he was willing to come to the piano. There was some resistance in the last two classes, perhaps because of him struggling to understand and do the next…
One of my students is a six-year-old boy who has confidence problems to the point that when he thinks something looks too hard, he gets anxious and teary and refuses to try. Last week when I demonstrated Dreams Come True, it took a whole five minutes for mom and me to coax him into doing anything. He just buried his head and walled off. Does anyone have suggestions? Should I put off demonstrating and launch into…
In this webinar Karen shares videos of her teaching her own students with learning disabilities and discusses their stories and their successes with the Gateway program. Introduction (00:05) Student Video 1: Nikos (00:43) Student Video 2: Rick (09:35) Student Video 3: Eytan (22:28) Student Video 4: Jewels (29:37) Student Video 5: Shane (37:34) Teacher Question: Student with Cerebral Palsy (40:37) Click through the video to hear Karen discuss the previously stated topics.
I started to work with a student who has cerebral palsy. Tova is an amazing person and student but does have a lot of challenges, as well as in the class. Because of her many issues, the 30-minute lesson can easily extend longer than that but we are learning to finish in the half hour. When the family first started, I offered them a discount for one term, as for me music is important and I…
Karen discusses some very common fine motor challenges in students with special needs and ways in which teachers can address them in the Gateway curriculum, and addresses teacher questions about some of their students’ fine motor issues. Topics include: Typical Fine Motor Issues (00:05) Fine Motor Challenges Addressed in Gateway (8:43) Teacher Questions: Crossing the Midline – Finger Isolation (13:05) Finger Exercises (22:21) Trouble with Finger Isolation (33:05) Students with Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome (40:53) Click through the video below…
In this webinar you will hear about actual situations that teachers have encountered with their special needs students and learn from Karen’s expertise how best to handle those situations. Topics include: Using a Schedule with Students on the Spectrum (00:05) Difficulty Finding Black Note Groups (2:57) Starting Your First Gateway Student (6:08) How to Handle Challenging Behavior (9:02) Students Reluctant to Progress (18:24) Student Getting Distracted / School Setting Issues (26:18) Dealing with Inappropriate Behaviors (29:29) Accepting the Student as…
The role of the parent or coach with Gateway students can differ quite a bit from the role they play in the Simply Music Piano program. Learn why this is often necessary, ways in which you can still keep parents involved, and hear some real-life examples of how to do so. Topics include: Introduction Initial Steps for Teachers Talking About Gateway & Expectations Teacher Relationship with the Student How to Involve the Parent Teacher Question: How to Encourage a Parent…
Vocalizing and singing adds a rich dimension to your lessons with students who have special needs. Karen talks about why that is, how to do incorporate it into your lessons, and answers teachers’ questions about students with various ability levels with regard to verbal communication. Topics include: Background: The Benefits of Singing (00:00) Levels of Vocalizations (03:26) When to Introduce Singing (08:06) Nonverbal Student (11:06) Working with an Older Adult on the Spectrum (13:43) Role of Parent/Caregiver in Lessons (19:06)…
I'm in a bit of a teacher valley. A brand new 11-year-old student (just one month of lessons) has quit, though we had lots of good Foundation talks and relationship talks. He was progressing slowly but surely with the Basics and RH/LH of Dreams. He had some minor struggles with sentence 2 of Dreams but nothing I have not seen other students overcome easily through practice. He was so excited in the beginning. His parents texted…
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