Ability Grouping--Melissa Wilkins

As an elementary art teacher, there is no such thing as ability grouping in an art classroom.  We are required to teach each and every child, from the highly gifted (both academically and artistically) to the severely autistic self-contained student.  And this must be done simultaneously, as the self-contained students are being "mainstreamed" in my classroom.  I have noticed several things with this model of educating students in art.  Most of the self-contained students I teach are able to come to class and get along fairly well with the other students, some even create more amazing artwork than the regular-ed students.  I have a few that are barely able (or willing) to sit at the table and write their names on their paper.  While I am an advocate for mainstreaming these children, sometimes, I do not think it is fair to the rest of the students in the classroom.  They can be disruptive to the other students, and to me as I am working to instruct the entire class.  I have had to implement my own ability grouping methods in some cases with certain students, who are completely unable to follow along.  I have to instruct the class as a whole, and then when independent work begins, I look around at the students who are completely lost and do not know where to begin.  It is at this time, that I bring them to an empty table to the side of the class, and work with them in small group or a one-on-one setting to get them started on a project.  This is the only way I know how to keep the entire class afloat, but it is difficult to monitor the progress of everyone else, while I am working one-on-one with one particular student.  I have worked at other schools, in which an entire self-contained class comes to art with their teachers/aides, in an art class entirely to themselves.  This seems to work better for them and for the teacher, because they are used to being with those students, and the art teacher gets some help from the aides that bring them.  It is a difficult issue and a sensitive balance is needed.  It is hard to know which system is best for every child.  I have found that in certain instances and with certain children, I do have to implement my own system of ability grouping in order to get anything done.  I am just one person, and it is hard to make it all work sometimes, but it is what I have to do...so I will continue as I am able.