Erin Dixon

Student Teaching
Middle School: Block 1
Background Information
Student B

Student B, a seventh grader at my block 1 placement, was diagnosed with

Cerebral Palsy before they reached the age of two. Though the case is physically mild

and the child is able to move around and engage in every-day physical activities and

movements, the diagnosis heavily affects the students intellectual and cognitive

functions. I first took an interest in the student when I noticed how well they handled

their inclusion in the choir. I wondered if they’d always preferred an atmosphere of

inclusion, or if they’d gradually worked their way. After discussing their process with my

cooperating teacher I learned that the beginning of their journey in music was actually

quite challenging for the student, the teacher, and the rest of the choir.

When the student first began taking choir, they would sit off to the side with their

aid and engage in practically any activity other than singing. This could include talking,

drawing, ripping paper, or running around the room. These distractions got to the point

where the entire choir couldn’t stay focused for more than 8-10 minutes at a time

without interruption. Finally, the teacher went to their aid and discussed moving

towards the option of inclusion. Over many months Student B eventually made their

way to becoming an honest member of the soprano section. They went from not

participating at all, to coming to class ready and excited to sing.

Upon discussion with their aid and other administrators, I learned that Student B

is extremely musically minded. When outside general education classrooms, they are

constantly sharing their favorite artists and songs with their friends and educators. Not
Erin Dixon
Student Teaching
Middle School: Block 1

only this, but they constantly ask if they are able to take more classes within the

inclusion setting. Though they enjoy their time in choir, it is clear that they do not fully

understand the concept of why we rehearse songs multiple times before we perform

them. Their aid discussed phrases such as “but we’ve already sung this song once”.

Because of this, I feel it is very important we continue to honor the child’s wishes of

inclusion by making them feel comfortable and welcome during the rehearsal by paying

close attention to repetition and pacing.

I recently complimented this student on an accessory they were wearing and

their face absolutely lit up. They pointed to a sticker I had on my computer and said

“Jason Mraz?!”, then asked if we could do a Jason Mraz warm-up the following class so

that’s exactly what we did. I created a 3-part warm-up ostinato using the solfege of the

chord progression of a Jason Mraz song. As we built the progression everyone was

engaged yet confused until I started singing the lyrics. You could tell that it immediately

clicked in Student B’s mind and it greatly impacted their engagement, excitement, and

overall energy level throughout said rehearsal. After the rehearsal was over they come

up to me and asked if we could do another warm-up using a song by one of their other

favorite artists. Though I understand it isn’t possible to do every student’s favorite song

every day, it was amazing to experience how much even a little attention to the

students’ preferences in repertoire can make. Continuing to offer this student the option

of choice combined with compassion and a general attention to their inclusion have

already proven to impact the student’s engagement. In the future, teaching ​why​ we
Erin Dixon
Student Teaching
Middle School: Block 1

rehearse music more than once could also prove beneficial to the rest of the choir as

well. I am definitely looking forward to seeing how this student grows as we continue

exploring their musical interests and passion.