National seminar

[Ken and Linda Lamb]

I'm looking for a female roommate for seminar.  Do I have to say all that stuff about non-smoking, etc.?  The hotel is smoke-free.  

I'll be arriving on Tuesday afternoon and leaving on Sunday.

Thanks,

Linda Lamb

[Rebecca Wingler]

We had a new child (2nd grader) come to bell practice last Sunday. Her mom told me that she is slightly autistic (her words). Both the mom and dad stayed with her during practice to help.

For this group, all music is Level 1 and is color coded. With new ringers, I always pair up an adult or experienced ringer to help until the ringer is ready to do it on his/her own. What I saw with this child was definitely attention/focus oriented - easily distracted, hard to stay on task. She and I talked a little bit, so she is able to communicate. I am not sure what other challenges she might have, but am wanting to make this as positive of an experience for her and her family as possible. 

I am wondering if any of you have had the opportunity to work with a ringer with similar challenges, and what worked for you.

Thank you in advance!

Rebecca

[linda mckechnie]

Rebecca. Diana Montgomery and I have worked with the functionally challenged and similar people...... although all are teenagers or adults. Feel free to call me at 281-455-3430. I am happy to share ideas with you personally. Diana is teaching a class at seminar on using digitally formatted level one and two handbell music. Her group played at seminar last year. I look forward to hearing from you. By the way, I am in Charlotte North Carolina. Linda Mckechnie.

Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail for iPhone

--
Post: handb...@googlegroups.com
Subscribe: handbell-l...@googlegroups.com
Unsubscribe: handbell-l+...@googlegroups.com
Digest: e-mail mdp...@gmail.com with subject line "Digest-L"
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Handbell-l" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to handbell-l+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/1485595317.6420471.1708708330034%40mail.yahoo.com

.

[Michele Sharik]

Hi, Rebecca — 

I have a question: what does she do when she’s distracted? Does she disrupt the rehearsal? Does she talk to her neighbors? Does she move around? Something else? 

I’m autistic (I was diagnosed ASD & ADHD in my 40s. Completely re-contextualized my whole life!) & get easily distracted. Sometimes that happens because I’m bored, other times when I’m anxious about doing something “the right way". Is she perhaps anxious about “doing it right”? 

We are all different, but when I find myself in a situation where I am easily distracted, I fidget with something. (I have spiky rubber balls strategically placed around my house & in my work areas at church and hold them & rub the spikes, which seems to help.) 

I suggest asking her parents what she needs to mitigate her distraction.

Good luck!

-Michèle Sharik

[linda mckechnie]

Michelle. It is very interesting to hear your particular challenges With autism. I periodically play four- piano with a blind autistic, 22-year-old. What you are describing is not what I am experiencing with him. Obviously, there are numerous levels of autism. This young man and I play for about an hour, entertaining people as they walk to dinner. We just sit down and play by ear without any rehearsal time. It is amazing how music brings us together! Linda

Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail for iPhone

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/EC277467-C0B2-4AFF-8772-D69150771B94%40gmail.com.

[Michele Sharik]

Hi Linda — You piano duo sounds wonderful! I’m sure your audience loves it (I know I would!). :-) 

Keep in mind that I also have ADHD (It’s actually relatively common to have both.), so that changes/complicates some things. In previous DSMs, what I have would have been called Asperger Syndrome, but DSM-V (I think that’s the one) combined autism with Asperger since they’re the same thing, just different “degrees”. Plus, I’m an adult & have learned many coping mechanisms. (Stress makes everything harder, though.)

The same thing happened with ADD & ADHD; it's now all just ADHD with 3 sub-types.

As always, everybody’s mileage varies. Her parents may know what works for her, but since she’s in 2nd grade (6-7 years old?) they and she may not know everything that works for her yet.

-Michèle 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/1461041414.6423843.1708710310762%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Rebecca Wingler]

Michele,

To be perfectly honest, I got the feeling the mom was stressed about the whole thing and probably more so than the daughter. Both mother & father stayed with the child to help keep her on task. Yes, she liked to talk, but with both parents there beside her, she wasn't talking to her neighbors. The bells were clanked together some, or wiggling them back and forth - so maybe fidgeting would be a good description. At the end of the practice she wanted to ring on her own (no one touching her to remind which bell should be ringing). The father pointed to the notes on the music and she was able to get some rung at the right time. All in all, I was happy with how it went. I was not prepared ahead of time by the parents, so wanted to be more prepared for the next practice. 

My goal is for all the ringers to have a good time, to learn and to be excited about handbells. I am fairly laid back with this group, so her actions did not bother me. I just want to be able to provide the best learning environment for her and perhaps, give her parents a little bit of a breather for an hour each Sunday afternoon. Really, she wasn't doing anything that I wouldn't expect a young, first time ringer to do. Perhaps it was a little more pronounced for a second grader, but it was her first time there.

I will reach out to her mom today as well.

Thank you!

Rebecca

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/EC277467-C0B2-4AFF-8772-D69150771B94%40gmail.com.

[Cynthia Seputis]

Hi Rebecca,

I've taught general music for 34 years and have quite a bit of experience teaching students on the autism spectrum.  A couple things come to mind...

1) I wonder if having both parents "helping" might be more help than is necessary... could they alternate?  I know when I am learning something new, having two people trying to help me at the same time is often more sensory input than I need or want, and I don't even have sensory processing issues.

2) Many students are successful in my music classroom because there is a regular routine for them to follow.  I provide a schedule for those who benefit from such a thing so that they know what to expect as the time passes during their music class.  You could do something similar for this ringer if your rehearsals follow a regular kind of routine, perhaps something like:

-Body stretches

-Bell warm-up

-Piece #1 (name of whatever you are going to work on first, even with specific measure numbers if applicable)

-Piece #2

-Polish bells

-Put bells away

Obviously, I don't know exactly what your rehearsal routine is, but you get the idea.  For some classes, I post the schedule for the whole class to see.  For others, I have the schedule on a clipboard and the student just moves the schedule card over once the activity has been completed (see example below).  Schedules can be like security blankets for students with anxiety.

3.  If there are particular cues that you will need to give the ringer, picture cues might be even more effective than verbal ones, especially as it can cut down on the helper repeating everything you say.  I've included an example I use for when my students are playing the Orff instruments.  In this case, having a helper (peer or adult) show this to a student who is playing too loudly is way more effective than having the helper keep telling the student, "Play softer please."  I can imagine that picture cues might be helpful in a bell rehearsal as well.  There are computer programs that help with these types of things, but honestly, I prefer to take pictures of peers and make the cue cards myself.

I had a third grade class today with a student who has autism, and although his verbal communication is limited and his autism might be described as severe, if you came in to observe and I didn't point him out to you, you wouldn't have been able to pick him out from his peers... and today's activities included playing a rhythm game involving syncopation, learning a pentatonic melody on the Orff instruments using solfege, and then playing it in canon... all of which he did flawlessly.  I have another student, a fifth grader, who I've taught for years.  He was new to me as a first grader, and I got an email from his mother the first week of school that year letting me know that he really disliked music and was sensitive to the sound of the triangle.  Five years later, I can report that he's been entirely successful in my class... a shining star, in fact.  (I've never used a triangle with any class he's been in... and it's a sacrifice, lol, that I've been perfectly willing to make.)  I applaud you for doing what you can to make your bell rehearsals successful for your new ringer.  Regardless of whether this child continues ringing for years to come, you will be a better director for the problem solving that you are doing and the creative thinking that you are employing... good for you!

Cynthia Sepuits

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/1088080208.6442399.1708711647580%40mail.yahoo.com.

---

This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail (or the person responsible for delivering this document to the intended recipient), you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, printing or copying of this e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please respond to the individual sending the message, permanently delete the original and any copy of this e-mail, attachment, and any printout thereof.

[Stephanie Wiltse]

Just my take... I've had some experiences with parents (and others) who have been there to help a ringer, and I think it's important to come up with ways of helping that aren't distracting and disruptive to everyone. In the end, the director still needs to be the one the ringers follow and take cues from. I've had helpers who mean well, but the focus becomes confusing, even for the director. I'd say pointing, touching, and nonverbal cues would be the most helpful, rather than to talk while the director is talking. All I'm saying is that it takes some sensitivity and finesse.

Stephanie Wiltse

Grand Rapids, MI

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/CAN-Rte83jUpL2xYsSK1%2Bp65AA%2BxYKY96s9PQegs%3DvAcnvfv7YQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Debbie Shaw]

Looks like you ar getting some great suggestions.

I have worked with both ADHD and Autistic children and adults.  My own child is ADHD and she rings bells at the highest level.

Autism is a Spectrum of sensory and processing differences.   Some have a hard time with new experiences.  As a mom and a director I know how hard it is to let your kid join in and not worry.   Sounds like Mom was more concerned than the child. (I have seen it!)

One young man joined my youth choir and spoke very little, and when he did he was soft spoken.   But he absolutely has a strong sense of rhythm and already had been taking piano.  He dislike the high bells.  But he could handle the bass bells fabulously.   

Routines seems to help many ASD folks.  They know what to expect and what they are supposed to do.   My kids knew they can into the rehearsal and immediately got their gloves from an assigned location an went straight to the bell tables.   I would have a list for each day. Sometimes it was rhythm games, sometimes is was articulation exercises.  We always practiced new music first so they could end rehearsal with a piece they knew.  My ADHD daughter always wears ear plugs when ringing bells.   Especially if the room is small.   I try to keep instruction clear.  Some ASD folks need a second if they have a processing delay.  Many ASD folks do well watching and copying what other do.  It might take a bit to learn how your new ringer processes information.  Ask her what works best for her.  I always demonstrate new skills so everyone gets both visual and auditory input.   Also, if I need to correct an arm movement or hand position I always ask if I can touch them their hand.  Some say NO and that is OK!  I then break down what I am doing step by step and have them do it with me.  It works!

The young man I taught is now an Engineer and is still soft spoken and a man of few words, and doesn't like even his mom giving him hugs.  But genius IQ and a talented musician.  He has rung high level quartets with me for hired gigs.  So, I encourage you to learn how this young lady operates her brain and maybe help mom give her child a chance to succeed. 

Oh, and I suspect that some of her distraction was because Mom was likely correcting or talking to her.   You may want to see if that is the case.  6-7 years old all kids are still learning how to stay on task.  

OH. Some ASD folks need things explained One Step at a time.  It's that processing thing and they may not remember what #2 and #3 are while they figure out #1.  They are not low IQ their brains are wired differently.  Once they have it, it's locked in for good usually!

Good Luck, and know we are here.  

Debbie Shaw

--