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Endorsements

Victoria Valentine

LIFE High School: Learning Behavior Specialist

Named “Special Education Teacher of the Year” by the Illinois State Board of Education

I have had the pleasure of joining my students for a King Cobras Drumline clinic two times this year. Students talked about this for weeks beyond the clinic and its impact has spread to their studies beyond the clinic as well. In general, access to age-appropriate activities for young adults with intellectual disabilities is limited to sports and special recreation programs outside of the school day. During the school day, heavy modifications support our students in accessing general education elective classes. All of our district’s rigorous music electives are not accessible, even with modifications, to our students with the most significant disabilities in our LIFE High School program. Staff members engage students in unstructured “music appreciation” activities based on personal interests, which does not actively engage students. The King Cobras Drumline takes an instructional approach with high standards while accepting all levels of engagement. 

In the same way that teachers scaffold instructional content, the King Cobras Drumline clinic builds off of itself like a typical lesson, while also utilizing multimodal learning strategies. Multimodal learning through seeing, doing, feeling, and hearing is the gold standard for teaching children with disabilities and children in general because it allows access to the diversity of student strengths. Additionally, Dale works in an “I do, you do, we do” style, another highly regarded instructional strategy. The organization of the drumline into sections of skill modeling, guided skill practice, and performance of a song fits appropriately into the structures of students with autism who function best when driven by a schedule. When teaching students new beats and strategies, this program adapts the lesson to student needs and provides sound-canceling headphones, engagement with small groups if necessary, and finds the “right fit” of a drum for a student depending on their abilities and sensory sensitivity. 

By the end of the clinic, students have all gotten something out of the time they spent. Whether it be an accurate beat, the confidence to produce music, or the enjoyment of the sensory experience, King Cobra’s Drumline brings out the best in all students. This experience doesn’t focus on musical mistakes and encourages students of all abilities to bring their gifts to the drumline. Access to these high-quality musical materials allows students to rise to the occasion of being a part of a musical team, which they may not have access to otherwise as students with significant needs. Training high school music educators in this innovative way to promote inclusion in their classrooms will help reflect acceptance as a part of the school culture while upholding high standards for all students. 

I offer my recommendation for the King Cobras Drumline program to exist as a curriculum and training program for schools to promote more inclusive access to the arts. I look forward to the opportunity to work with the King Cobras team as they pave the way for special education teachers, music therapists, and music educators to come together in empowering students with special needs through music.

Julie Hupp, OTRL

Mundelein D120, D75 & Transition Center Occupational Therapist

Mundelein High School

WOW! I was totally BLOWN away by your drumming activity last week. It was AMAZING!! Your professionalism and dedication to your work is outstanding! ALL of the students at Mundelein High School were looking forward to your drumming activities. Many talked about it “all weekend” before you came, according to some parents.  I was so excited to see the students faces when they came into the gym and saw all of your professional equipment. Your positive energy and skills while working with our students was evident and contagious. The students were totally engrossed and participated at a high level of excitement throughout your event. Your drumming activities encouraged development and engagement in many motor skills including eye hand coordination, bilateral coordination, motor planning, grasping skills, and attention to task skills. This activity promoted improved skills in all of these areas all while having FUN!! IT was awesome that you provided alternative drumming equipment for the students who needed more support while drumming.  Many students keep asking me if we can “do it again”.   I am SO grateful that you both volunteered your time to provide our students with this AWESOME opportunity!! I cannot thank you enough!!

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