Success, Failures, and Methods of Teaching Art to Students with Autism Kristin Kowalski Summit Academy Elementary K-8 Art Teacher Toledo Ohio

Topics Pre-Assessment Growth and Development may be slow, but its worth it: Patience Diversified Instruction to Keep students Motivated and Focused STRUCTURE: Classroom and lesson Structure Understand the Students Sensory Needs Methods for Motor Skill Development Try to understand their thought process before discounting or blaming on behavior There could be a hidden talent that can be embraced Adapt the classroom environment for success Fixations: Battling Them and Embracing Them

Pre-Assessment

Growth and Development may be slow, but its worth it: Patience Stories of James

James 8years old 4 th year at the school Sensory needs Will have huge fits it made to do work that he doesn’t want to do. Very affectionate Very dramatic Speech problems

James 1 The paper Mache disaster

Diversified Instruction to Keep students Motivated and Focused

Donavon and Amelia 8 years old 2 nd year at the school Difficulty staying on task Obsessive actions Daydreams continuously Struggles with retaining lesson information Comes from an abusive home environment Struggles with social skills Skilled drawer 8 years old 2 nd year at the school Difficulty staying on task Very imaginative, struggles with separating reality from imagination Obsessive actions Above average academically Struggles with social skills

Stories

Smart Board Interactive Activities

Handouts Redirection Games Stencils

STRUCTURE: Classroom and Lesson Structure

Lesson Structure Material Preparation “Show me you are ready for art today” Seat Assignment (Relation to other student and stimulus) Classroom routine “My Friends”, voice tone Control of Behavior Alternative options for lesson

Eli 10 years old 1 st year at the school Very energetic Above grade level academically Seeks continuous reinforcement Detailed oriented with art projects Remembers all information about concepts and history.

Understand the Students Sensory Needs

Plan for the meltdown and try to avoid it. Talk to teachers Discuss the experience prior to the art making Creative ways for dealing with sensory challenging materials. Alternatives “Its all how you word it”

Kevin 13 Years old 6 th year at the school 4 th year as my student Delayed Cognition Very personable Lack Motivation Multiple sensory issues in art: Construction paper, Styrofoam, cotton balls or anything fuzzy. Loves Painting

James 2 I Killed My Fish

Methods for Motor Skill Development

Logan 6 years old 2 nd year at the school Verbally echoes Delayed Cognition When he started school: -Couldn’t render letters -Verbally very limited -Only scribbled and pounded drawing materials -10 minute maximum attention span in class -Couldn’t retain any lesson information -Made continuous noise and hand gestures

January 1 st year

Beginning of 2 nd year

2 nd year September

October 2 nd Year

November 2 nd Year

2 nd Year November

December 2 nd Year

2 nd Year December

2 nd Year January

Try to understand their thought process before discounting or blaming on behavior

Jonathon 9 years old 2 nd year at the school Verbally repetitive Can not identify feelings Refuses to complete work or tasks often Can not relate to peers Defiant behaviors

There could be a hidden talent that can be embraced

Mo 12 years old 2 years attending with a year between at a different school Minimal verbal skills Very short attention span Imaginary word distracts from most school activities, art discussions and demonstrations. Loves to draw from cartoons and video games.

James 3 Tints and Shades

Adapt the classroom environment for success

Demetrius Not diagnosed due family not wanting special education services 2 nd year at the school See imaginary objects and talks to them Can not focus of academics Yells out unrelated topic frequently Has multiple fixations Behavioral problems

1 st year

September 2 nd year

October 2 nd year

2 nd year November

2 nd year January

Fixations: Battling Them and Embracing Them

James 4 Even spilled ink is an artistic experience

Laugh Relax Love them

Kristin Kowalski (614)