Program Uses Art and Music to Enhance Learning in Special Education

One of the most important aspects of a special education program is participation in the arts. Whether students are moderately cognitively impaired, severely cognitively impaired or severely emotionally impaired, art programs allow for creative expression and a new way to learn.

With help from the Kellogg Youth Fund, Gratiot-Isabella Regional Educational Service District (GIRESD) conducted an Artists-in-Residence program in collaboration with Michigan Arts Access (formerly VSA Michigan) during the 2018-2019 school year. All GIRESD special education classrooms in Gratiot and Isabella Counties benefited from the program.

Elementary students taking part in art and music

A total of 207 students, 17 classroom teachers and 61 paraprofessionals participated in the program. Each student engaged in eight hours of learning in either visual arts or music taught by painter Diane Clise, musician Renee Hahn or clay artist Barbara Taylor.

Two young children taking part in art and music programming

“I had a student who just started with me when Renee started coming. I was still learning about this student and he would often fuss during school time. He loved music. It was an ‘aha!’ moment when he smiled and began nodding his head to the beat of one of the songs,” one of the elementary teachers said. “After that, I began using music with him during various parts of the day. It helped him as he adjusted to the classroom.”

The program concluded with Show & Share events at each of the schools where the students demonstrated the music that they had learned, and all of the student artwork was on exhibit at the Mahoney GIRESD administration building during the month of May 2019.