(based on Educational Leadership (based on Educational Leadership Policy Standards)Policy Standards)

Created and Implemented by Created and Implemented by Annie JacobsAnnie Jacobs

The Balance Between Classroom The Balance Between Classroom Practices and Building RelationshipsPractices and Building Relationships

InterventionsInterventions ForFor Successfully Successfully Meeting the Needs of Autistic Meeting the Needs of Autistic

Students in the Inclusive Art Room Students in the Inclusive Art Room SettingSetting

The Balance Between The Balance Between Classroom Practices and Classroom Practices and Building RelationshipsBuilding Relationships

ProblemProblem

The problem is 20% of the autistic The problem is 20% of the autistic students at Murray high school do students at Murray high school do not experience success in the not experience success in the inclusive art room setting.inclusive art room setting.

GoalGoal

The goal is for 100% of the autistic The goal is for 100% of the autistic students at Murray high to students at Murray high to experience success in the inclusive experience success in the inclusive art room setting.art room setting.

EvidenceEvidence

According to collected data, 80% of According to collected data, 80% of autistic students at Murray are autistic students at Murray are responding with behaviors and responding with behaviors and quality work representative of quality work representative of assignments and positive student assignments and positive student achievement.achievement.

EvidenceEvidence

Of the autistic students at Murray, Of the autistic students at Murray, 80% use successful alternative 80% use successful alternative visual, kinesthetic and oral visual, kinesthetic and oral communication to successfully communication to successfully present projects and score well on present projects and score well on tests.tests.

EvidenceEvidence

The remaining 20% of autistic The remaining 20% of autistic students exhibit stress with students exhibit stress with traditional art lessons and materials traditional art lessons and materials in the form of ‘repetitive motor in the form of ‘repetitive motor behaviors.’ behaviors.’

In general, 20% of autistic students In general, 20% of autistic students display stress when faced with any display stress when faced with any art assignment.art assignment.

Literature Review EvidenceLiterature Review Evidence

““[Individuals with autism] challenge us to [Individuals with autism] challenge us to perceive differently, think differently, feel perceive differently, think differently, feel differently, to stretch our imaginations’ to differently, to stretch our imaginations’ to apprehend, even appreciate, an apprehend, even appreciate, an alternative world” (Mulholland 2008, p.24).alternative world” (Mulholland 2008, p.24).

Some autistic students exhibit Some autistic students exhibit “stereotypical motor behaviors” (Loftin, “stereotypical motor behaviors” (Loftin, Odom & Lantz, 2008) during group Odom & Lantz, 2008) during group activities.activities.

Outcomes/ObjectivesOutcomes/Objectives There will be a 20% improvement in There will be a 20% improvement in

scores, behaviors, and quality work scores, behaviors, and quality work reflective in student achievement.reflective in student achievement.

The attainment of 100% positive The attainment of 100% positive interaction with peers and instructor will interaction with peers and instructor will be observed in the inclusive art room.be observed in the inclusive art room.

Autistic students will gain a 20% Autistic students will gain a 20% improvement in visual, kinesthetic and improvement in visual, kinesthetic and oral communication and present projects oral communication and present projects successfullysuccessfully

This improvement will be observed and This improvement will be observed and documented bt the end of the school year.documented bt the end of the school year.

Outcomes/ObjectivesOutcomes/Objectives

Positive social interaction will improve by Positive social interaction will improve by 20%20%

A 20% decrease in the incidence of A 20% decrease in the incidence of stress displayed through ‘repetitive stress displayed through ‘repetitive motor behaviors’ will be observed during motor behaviors’ will be observed during art lessons and with use of materials.art lessons and with use of materials.

An improvement of 20% less stress in An improvement of 20% less stress in autistic students at Murray will be autistic students at Murray will be observed with art assignments, in observed with art assignments, in general.general.

Literature Review EvidenceLiterature Review Evidence

““Increasing social interaction by Increasing social interaction by teaching new skills may lead to teaching new skills may lead to reductions in problem behavior, such reductions in problem behavior, such as motor stereotypes.” (Loftin, as motor stereotypes.” (Loftin, Odom, & Lantz, 2008).Odom, & Lantz, 2008).

CausesCauses

Some teachers may not be equipped to Some teachers may not be equipped to identify, strategize and use evidence-based identify, strategize and use evidence-based interventions due to lack of professional interventions due to lack of professional development per the profile of the autistic development per the profile of the autistic students at Murray.students at Murray.

Some autistic students may have low self-Some autistic students may have low self-esteem.esteem.

Some autistic students may need alternative Some autistic students may need alternative assignments to effectively communicate assignments to effectively communicate knowledge and understanding.knowledge and understanding.

CausesCauses

Some autistic students may not know Some autistic students may not know how to relate to other students in the how to relate to other students in the inclusive setting.inclusive setting.

Some autistic students need visual Some autistic students need visual stimuli and single design strategies stimuli and single design strategies based on mastery with one-on-one based on mastery with one-on-one support.support.

SolutionsSolutions

Principal must meet with art teachers to Principal must meet with art teachers to discover needs and areas of weakness and discover needs and areas of weakness and implement professional development to implement professional development to address areas of concern. address areas of concern.

Principal must work collaboratively with Principal must work collaboratively with art teachers and intervention specialist to art teachers and intervention specialist to accommodate the immediate needs of accommodate the immediate needs of both teachers and students to create a both teachers and students to create a less stressful and positive learning less stressful and positive learning environment.environment.

SolutionsSolutions

Art lessons must be designed so that Art lessons must be designed so that the objectives are meeting diverse the objectives are meeting diverse learning styles in the inclusive art room.learning styles in the inclusive art room.

Teachers will learn to identify autistic Teachers will learn to identify autistic student needs by observation and student needs by observation and diversifying based on discovery.diversifying based on discovery.

Teachers will elevate student self-Teachers will elevate student self-esteem by recognizing and celebrating esteem by recognizing and celebrating all efforts.all efforts.

SolutionsSolutions Teachers will provide opportunities for student Teachers will provide opportunities for student

interaction, team-building and problem-solving interaction, team-building and problem-solving activieies. activieies.

Teachers will create an equitable learning Teachers will create an equitable learning environment in the art room.environment in the art room.

Teachers will acquire and implement Teachers will acquire and implement differentiated learning skills.differentiated learning skills.

Teachers will use visual supports, individual and Teachers will use visual supports, individual and one-on-one instructional sessions based on one-on-one instructional sessions based on mastery.mastery.

Continued data will be collected by observation, Continued data will be collected by observation, by product and test results by the end of the by product and test results by the end of the year.year.

ConclusionConclusion

A positive attitude toward inclusion and A positive attitude toward inclusion and toward collaboration, and the skills of toward collaboration, and the skills of the teachers related to the inclusion of the teachers related to the inclusion of special education students is essential. special education students is essential.

The positive changes will be The positive changes will be implemented through professional implemented through professional development and a collaborative effort development and a collaborative effort by principal, art teachers and by principal, art teachers and intervention specialists. intervention specialists.

ConclusionConclusion

Most school failure is the measure of Most school failure is the measure of unsatisfying or disconnecting relationships unsatisfying or disconnecting relationships in a student’s life. in a student’s life.

Building relationships is essential.Building relationships is essential. The inclusive art room which fosters The inclusive art room which fosters

positive and clear communication positive and clear communication techniques with respect, safety, caring and techniques with respect, safety, caring and sharing and structures in place to ensure sharing and structures in place to ensure student comfort with the environment is student comfort with the environment is essential. essential.

ReferencesReferences

Loftin, R., Odom, S., & Lantz, J. (2008). Social Loftin, R., Odom, S., & Lantz, J. (2008). Social interaction and repetitive motor interaction and repetitive motor behaviors. behaviors. Journal of Autism and Developmental Journal of Autism and Developmental

Disorders,Disorders,  3838(6), 1124-35.  Retrieved February (6), 1124-35.  Retrieved February 28, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. 28, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1495072181).(Document ID: 1495072181).

Mulholland, L. (2008). Nurturing Self-esteem Mulholland, L. (2008). Nurturing Self-esteem in Your Child with Special needs. in Your Child with Special needs. The Exceptional The Exceptional Parent,Parent, 38 38 (12), 36-37.  Retrieved February 27, (12), 36-37.  Retrieved February 27, 2010, from ProQuest Education 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1612434491).Journals. (Document ID: 1612434491).