Roberts,+LesLee-+Inclusion+Strategies+in+Art

My name is LesLee Roberts and I am 28 years old. I have a very handsome son who is 8 years old and in the 3rd grade. I love to spend time with my family and be outdoors. When the weather is nice I try to get out as much as I can. I am a kind, fun loving person and I love to meet new people. Over the years of working with children and being a mother myself I have developed a lot of patience which is something that is key to have when working with children. I have always enjoyed working with kids and have known that I wanted to be a teacher since I was in the 6th grade.

 I am currently a junior in college and am working towards my bachelor of science in elementary education and then will be moving on to the 1 year MAT program. My goal is to become an elementary school teacher, hopefully in grades K-3. I am also going to obtain my endorsements in special education with a possible minor in special education as well.
 * Education and career goals: **

 My family, especially my son, bring me joy. Every moment that I get to spend with my family is important to me and I wish that I could spend more time with those that live farther away. I have 11 nieces and nephews, some in Utah, some in northern California, and some in Bend, Oregon. I love being able to see them and take on the role of “Auntie LesLee!
 * What brings you joy? **

 I worry that I will not know what to do and that I may not be good at teaching. I worry that there will be a student in my class who needs extra guidance in their life, whether academically or personally, and that I will not be able to help them. I want to be that teacher that students remember and think back on and say that I helped them and that I made a difference in their life.
 * What is your greatest fear about being a teacher? **

 Math was always an incredibly difficult subject for me to learn. While understanding addition and subtraction came easier to me, multiplication, division, and algebra were much harder for me to grasp. Not being able to understand the math was very frustrating for me and made me feel like I was stupid because I did not understand it. It was not until 7th grade that I finally really learned my multiplication table and the math teacher I had at that time was the reason why. He had a huge impact on my view of math and really took the time to make sure his students understood it.
 * Did you ever experience a time when something was extremely difficult to learn? **

 I think this piece of my history will help me connect with students with learning differences because it will allow me to be able to sympathize with them and their difficulties.
 * How might this piece of your history help you connect to students with learning differences? **

 I want to understand all the ways that I can help my students whether they have learning difficulties or not. I want to better understand the best ways to incorporate all students into the curriculum and the best ways to be sensitive to their needs.
 * What do you want to gain from this course? **


 * __Introduction of Topic __**

I chose to do my topic on inclusion strategies for art. I chose this because I feel that art is one of the best ways for all students to express themselves and gives students the freedom to change their work and explore their own creativity. Art can be used in a variety of ways to help students understand the materials they are learning and can also them to feel in control of what they are doing. For students with emotional disturbances, behavioral disorders, sensory issues, and as well as other disabilities, art can be used as a form of therapy for them.

(1) Art is an extremely important aspect of learning for many students. It can allow students the opportunity to express themselves and relieve stresses and help them relax.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Top 5 Things I Learned: __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(2) There are a lot of great and amazing sites filled with information for teachers on how to integrate art into their classroom and make it meaningful for all students.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(3) Art can be a great option for future employment for individuals with disabilities as it is usually more easily accessible to them and allows them their own creativity.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(4) Art therapy is a great way to help students with disabilities, especially those with behavioral disabilities, work through their frustrations.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(5) Art is a multifunctional area that can be included into almost every aspect of a classroom’s curriculum and utilized in expanding the learning and understanding of each student.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">* Johns Hopkins University School of Education: New Horizons for Learning (rating 5 out of 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Top Resource __**
 * Functions of the Art Therapist **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The responsibility of an Art or Expressive Therapist within a school setting is to help students express and contain their internal conflicts, while facilitating their ability to implement change (Frostig & Essix, 1998). School Art Therapists collaborate with the teaching and counseling staff as well as parents, to establish treatment goals and objectives that are appropriate within a school system. They offer both individual and group counseling. Art Therapy in schools is generally used for special education students who have difficulty in the setting as a result of learning disabilities, behavior disorders, emotional disturbances, or physical handicaps which impair gross and fine motor control.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(1) Project Zero: Harvard Graduate School of Education (rating 5 out of 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Project Zero is an educational research group at the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University. Project Zero's mission is to understand and enhance learning, thinking, and creativity in the arts, as well as humanistic and scientific disciplines, at the individual and institutional levels.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Other Resources __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(2) Solution Tree: Professional Development that Builds Schools Where All Children Learn (rating 4 out of 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> This book not only highlights daily school interventions that help teachers to tap into students' academic and emotional abilities, potentials, levels, and interests, but also encourages educators and learners to effectively work together as a team to achieve accepting inclusive schools within our inclusive world.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(3) Penn University of Pennsylvania: Social Impact of the Arts Project (rating 4 out of 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The Social Impact of the Arts Project (SIAP) is a research group at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice in Philadelphia. We began in 1994 to ask questions about and develop methods to examine the impact of the arts and culture on community life. Our research focuses on the relationship of the arts to community change, with a particular interest in strategies for arts-based neighborhood revitalization and social inclusion.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(4) Effective Career Development Strategies for Young Artists with Disabilities (rating 4.5 out of 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> One potential arena of employment for young people with disabilities is the arts. This brief reports on effective strategies that 47 young artists with disabilities used to gain access to arts-related experiences in order to further their educational and career pathways.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(5) LD online: Intergrating the Arts with Technology: Inspiring Creativity (rating 5 out of 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> This site offers many great ways to integrate art into the classroom for students with disabilities. It discusses the benefits of the arts for students with disabilities as well as tools for integrating the arts with technology.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(6) LD.org National Center for Learning Disabilities (rating 5 out of 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The arts are more than a fun, superficial way to keep kids occupied. Art activities can help children with learning disabilities begin to overcome the challenges they face in learning in many different ways.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(7) Bright Hub Education (rating 4 out of 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> This article describes some creative ideas you can use to adapt art projects for special needs students.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(8) Cultural Ministers Council (rating 3.5 out of 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The Cultural Ministers Council is a forum of Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers responsible for the arts and culture in Australia. The Cultural Ministers Council has committed to improve coordination and collaboration across governments on arts and disability issues through a National Arts and Disability Strategy.