Are all students capable of performing? Are all students provided the opportunity to perform? These two questions have weighed on Michael for the past 20 years of his teaching career. Yes, all students are capable. However, not all students are provided the opportunity.
As a music teacher, Michael has witnessed a great number of students that find excitement and accomplishment through performing, but some students, due to a mental or physical disability, may never get this same opportunity.
āIf we continually speak of total inclusion for every student then we need to see it come to fruition, and I truly believe we have found a way for this to be a reality!ā -Charles Michael Bell
During the 2016-2017, Allen Elementary Schoolās STLP students began the process of developing assistive technological devices to ensure that all AES students would be able to participate in a school-wide performance using their own creativity. They were successful! Some of our special needs students performed in our spring performance ā THEIR WAY with the least restrictive environment possible by the help of materials created by Bare Conductive. The results were amazing! Students that tend to be hidden and restricted were giving center stage to create and perform their way. Parents, grandparents and audience members were brought to tears as they witnessed this excitement and accomplishment as actual performers. However, there is further work to be done to ensure all students can perform to the best of their abilities.
During the 2017-2018, Michael and the STLP team will develop more special assistive technological devices that ensure every student with disabilities can perform whether it be sitting, standing or on the move. These devices will be tested throughout the school year and completed in time for these students to perform within our spring performance in April 2018.
Michaelās project was funded through the KVEC āRace to the Topā federal funding by the U.S. Department of Education. He was one of over 100 instructors who presented at the Forging Innovation in Rural Education (FIRE) Summit, a multi-district K-12 educational professional learning event October 25 in Pikeville, KY. Ā More than 17,000 viewers, from 15 countries and 42 states, tuned in to the live stream provided by KVECās digital platform the Holler. Ā He will present the final results of her project on April 11 in the Spring FIRE Summit in Pikeville.
