Sensory Issues & Music Class

I remember music in elementary school as an active thing. We sang, danced, walked in circles, etc.. Knowing how children learn,especially by incorporating movement, should be part of a music teacher's job. I would ask about his/her philosophy about this. I am a mom and I am also a teacher and this was one of the first things we learned when looking at multiple intelligence.

Also, maybe the OT needs to go to music class with him so that they can see what is really going on in the class. The teacher also needs to know when to remind him to use his pass card. Just because he has it doesn't mean he knows when or how to use it. I have to remind my sped/sensory students to take their breaks when they need them and I teach high school.

If it's the loud music, have him wear head phones. My grandson is in special ed and has difficulty with noise. The classroom has several sets. His mom and I went with the class to see a kids play in a large building. He wore the headphones and could still hear the actors. However, because he has other issues with crowds and changes in routine one of his therapists recommended fidgets. They are small items he holds in his hand that he can fidget with. Examples are small balls, some of which have flexible tendrils. He had a squishy ball that looked like it had an egg inside, a small wooden puzzle he could move pieces around. Playdough can be helpful.His mom finds these in Fred Meyer, a one stop shopping store. They help him focus. He's also allowed to chew gum. Last year's class had students sit on large exercise balls. He is able to move around on the ball to keep it in place. When he is over stimulated he can walk in the hallway. During the play his mom took him to the hallway so he could walk. He's 11. He can also pace in the classroom in back of other students so they don't also get agitated. Has he been evaluated for sensory issues? With an IEP, there should be a trained person evaluating his behaviour along with education issues. I would bring this up with at the next IEP meeting.

My granddaughter also has an IEP because of ADHD. She is in a regular classroom. Schools have teachers in a seperate room who works with IEP students and their parents. I don't remember the teacher's title. I would talk with that person in your son's school. When my daughter was in elementary school her mom spoke frequently with this person.

Sounds like he isn't getting therapies to teach him skills and that you don't have help learning about what causes these issues and how to manage them. I would try to get involved in providing therapies if the IEP professional would consider them helpful. I don't know his diagnoses so don't know what if any form of therapy would be helpful.

I, too, wonder why the teacher is requiring students to sit still. I also wonder how familiar with managing special needs students. When my granddaughter was in Kinder she wandered and couldn't stay focused even during performances for parents. The teacher arranged for her always have contact with her chair. While other kids sat on the floor for circle time, my grandaughter used her chair to keep her with the group. During one performance, she stood at the end of a line with her knee on the chair while the rest of the kids stood.

Managing in these situation takes creativity. Perhaps the music teacher could assign him a task that allow him to move around some. I've seen music classes in which students clapped their hands.

I agree with the headphones.

I wonder, do you have your son (or have you had him) in OT to work on sensory integration? If you haven't, go get him evaluated. Work on sensory issues can make a huge difference.

What kind of music class expects 6 year olds to sit still for an hour? Is the teacher not skilled at engaging children of this age level in a variety of activities? An hour once a week is very challenging for all kids. When I taught music, I never had the kids just sitting in chairs or in a circle, singing and otherwise not moving. I did have some kids who had trouble with certain things - such as using the classroom instruments. A bunch of kids whacking tambourines and rhythm sticks could set off those with sensory issues. But a skilled teacher can see the problem coming and head that off - it's April now, and assuming he's been in the class since September, she should have a good handle on him and his triggers. I'm sure he's not the only one.

As part of the IEP, does the school not provide an aide for kids who need extra help focusing? Or one who will escort the kids to another part of the room and engage in an alternate activity? I always had a mix of things, from singing to finger play or actions, from little music-themed writing games to listening activities, from music-themed videos to move-around-the-room games. Each activity took 10-15 minutes tops, and then we moved on to another one - that's part of every lesson plan. If your child's music teacher isn't being more creative than this, then a whole lot of kids are getting lost here, whether they have impulse issues that make it obvious or not. So even if your child had to step out for a break, he shouldn't be missing the entire class.

What sort of prep is being done to ease the kids in the transition to an occasional activity that only meets once a week?

Surely your son is not the first child with these issues to be in this music class. Sit down with the special ed person or the classroom teacher/music teacher together, and advocate advocate advocate for your child!

A child at my son's school who has SPD wears a large sound blocking headset (earphones...what do you call it). He wears it in the cafeteria (extremely loud), at music, and on the bus (lots of kids screaming and yelling on busses). You should order your son a pair and let the school know when he will be wearing them.

Is it the sitting still or the volume? If it is volume, can he wear earplugs or a headphones to make it quieter for him? If you have not already, you might want his therapists to weigh in and talk to the teacher (perhaps in person, or by phone) so that the teacher gets a better understanding of what he's up against in her class. If the break card isn't working, does he have kind of an internal time limit? If she notices that he's running out of patience, can she tell him vs having him manage himself (which it seems he can't yet)? Or midway through class?

I don't know how she runs her class, but my DD's music class always seems to have at least one song or three with hand motions or jumping or whatever so they are not just sitting or standing and singing. Walk in a circle with a tambourine or while clapping. That sort of thing. Does she not do that or is that just not helpful to him?

Not sure what a "break card" is but I'm assuming it's like a pass to leave the room or move around or something like that. If that's a case, the teacher should approach him and say "Joey, I see you need to take a break. Go ahead and (insert whatever the break card indicates be done)". At 6, although he's getting antsy, he may not recognize how bad it is or possess the maturity to follow through. If the teacher works with him, it will help.

If the issue is how loud the class is, then earplugs or headphones would help.

Can't imagine that a music teacher would expect 6 year olds to sit completely still for a whole hour though. Maybe she should mix it up a bit.

If he's having that hard of a time he needs an aid with him on those days. That way they can be trained to recognize the signs and take him out of that class and to go somewhere else.

We have ear protection for the kids with the sensory issues.

I am a certified teacher and used to work as a FT teacher. I then went on to become a certified parenting instructor. With that being said, If your son has an IEP...You can schedule a PPT.

A book that I would recommend for you to read is the "Out of Sync Child"...and there is another book that follows.

If he is having issues with loud music...It could be a sensory issue. I have sensory. I have earplugs in my pocketbook 365 days a year! I wear them at movies, concerts, when I am with loud talkers, etc....

The OT at the school may be able to help. If not, take him to an OT who has the extra training in sensory...

Feel free to message me.

There is child in my daughter's class that I believe has a similar issue. The teachers work to help him get through things. He is not mature enough to realize he needs a break or change until it is too late. Their music class is only half hour but my daughter told me that he sometimes gets sent back to his class before music is over.
I think my husband's nephew may have sensory issues as well but they won't talk about it.

If it is the loud noise maybe try hearing protection. My kids go to a school that is the Autism center for our district. There are some kids who wear hearing protection (like construction workers might wear) during music, PE, assemblies, lunch, and even recess. If he wanted something less noticeable maybe even just ear plugs would work.

I am sensitive to noise so I wear ear plugs - not sure if they have little ones for kids (may be worth looking into). I don't know if they would be safe for kids - if not, headphones for sure.