News & Updates

Teachers for School of American Music (SAM) recently completed a training session on methods for teaching “neurodivergent” learners – a term specialists use to describe people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Asperger’s, ADHD, or other neurological conditions. The training was conducted by Katy Foster, specialist from Berrien Regional Education Service Agency (RESA), Michigan certified special education teacher, and adjunct professor at Andrews University.

“Neurodiversity” is a neutral term to describe the idea that people experience the world in a variety of ways. Different ways of thinking and learning are viewed as exactly that -- differences, not deficits. The neurodiversity training covered: characteristics of students with autism and other challenges; language to use with students who may be neurodivergent; and educational strategies proven to be effective for neurodivergent students.

For younger students, the application of neurodiversity training to music education involves skills such as managing the learning session, structured learning, maintaining focus, and accepting diversions from the lesson plan. For older students, teachers are often challenged to create alternative, often visually-oriented ways of presenting musical concepts. It takes patience to discover the way to teach a concept that is different from the way you learned it, but when it works, it is very satisfying.

Tim Hindes, an adult student at SAM who lives near Saugany Lake, Indiana, heard about the training and wrote: “I’m a 60-year-old neurodivergent male who has always had difficulty in school. In the past, I would get frustrated with how I was being taught and would lose confidence and quit. The staff at the SAM understood me. For five years they have modified teaching plans to make it fun and interesting. Today I’m still taking classes, playing music, and grateful. If you are neurodivergent or have a child who’s neurodivergent and interested in music, don’t let past experiences keep you from enjoying this life skill.”

The School of American Music is a non-profit organization that provides education, performance, and audience opportunities in music in the Southwest Michigan area. The school’s teaching methods accommodate a range of neurodivergent and neurotypical learning styles.