Art in Special Education (ASE) Column: Fall 2023

2023 Larry Marone Grant Awardees

Column by: Lauren Stichter, Sarah Swanson, and Margo Wunder

[[image ####]]

Art Teacher: Sarah Swanson (PA)
Project: Art Room Oasis

This grant will be used to provide the students with more options to meet their sensory needs. If students are given the ability to make choices that will positively affect their own experience making and learning about art, their connection with and understanding of the artmaking process will deepen. This enrichment of learning will help them to more fully understand how art can be used globally and in their own lives to create positive change.

With the funds from the Larry Marone Grant items were purchased to give students more options for control over their environment, such as seating, lighting, hearing, and touch adaptors; sensory activities for early finishers; and adaptive equipment for students who need assistance to participate more fully in projects. Light covers, noise-canceling earphones, foot fidgets, a wobble cushion, and a standing desk adapter kit were introduced to give the students more control over their setting. Adaptive scissors, a light box, neon doodle pads, and texture paper allow students to have enhanced access to the artmaking process. Sensory bins have also been created for early finishers and sensory breaks. Most students notice the light covers immediately upon entering the room, followed by a variety of options for them to choose if they need additional support making themselves comfortable and ready for creating artwork. My observation of the changes these items have made is that having more activities for the nonverbal students to engage in results in more of class time being spent learning.

[[image ####]]

Art Teacher: Margo Wunder (PA)
Project: Say Yes & Quilt

In my 7 years of teaching, I have come to know that deep learning happens through thematic plans. I believe this project will truly extend the learning that takes place in the art room, as students not only create a hands-on personal work of art but also learn about American fiber artists, poets, and activists. Learning will cross into students’ general classrooms and the music room as the theme of “Say Yes, And” is continued in reflective writing, poetry, rap, and spoken word. Students will then work as a collective to join their quilting squares together. I see this project closing with a culminating event where, as a community, we can celebrate with a poetry slam and spoken-word reception to view the quilt and hear the students read their writings and poetry.

For Mental Health Awareness Month and National Foster Care Month in May 2022, students said “Say yes, and.” This unit asked students to recognize that while they face difficult challenges, they possess talents and the strength of character to grow and to achieve greatness. Through the completion of this project, students became more aware of their own value and capability to love, be loved, and to forgive. For this project, our students chose a quilting square on which to “Say yes, and.” Students then embellished their squares with embroidery floss, stitching, fabric markers, buttons, sequins, pom-poms, permanent markers, acrylic paint, and printing ink. Students not only learned about contemporary and art historical quiltmakers but also about American poets and poetry writing, as I worked cross-curricularly with our 8th-grade ELA teacher. Students reflected and wrote why and how they “Say yes, and.” Students experimented with spoken word, rap, and poetry writing, as I also worked with our music teacher. The fabric squares were joined into one large quilt to be displayed in the school at their graduation ceremony and presented to our school director as the 8th-grade class gift.

2024 Larry Marone Grants Applications Are Open!

This year, ASE is offering three $500 Larry Marone Grant Awards. The application deadline is NOVEMBER 15, 2023. http://www.artinspecialed.com

Follow our Art in Special Education Interest Group on social media:

• IG: @artinspecialed
• FB: ArtInSpecialEd

Mikaela Bachmann, ASE (formerly SNAE) President-Elect
Email: mikaela.bachmann@gmail.com