The saying goes: music is a universal language. One local teacher is proving that to be true by uniting special needs and general education students in one classroom. Courtney Allen shines the 7Spotlight on this special program.
The music is loud in this classroom at Felix Varela High School in Southwest Miami-Dade. But the impact is louder. This is Unified Beats – a one-of-a-kind program in Miami-Dade.
Elizabeth Morales: “A lot of people don’t realize that they have a gift of music by creating their own beats.”
The beats are a way to connect all of the students you see here.
On a typical day, they are split into different classrooms: special needs and general education.
Music teacher Elizabeth Morales wanted to break down those dividing walls.
Elizabeth Morales: “So the original idea was to unite our gen ed students with our special education students and create music.”
School principal Adrian Sanchez loved the idea.
Adrian Sanchez: “I was a teacher of students with autism. I felt the importance of involving our students in this program.”
Elizabeth Morales: “There’s some that don’t speak at all. And when we’re in music class, they communicate through basic rhythms or dance.”
Tenth grader Celeste has autism. She said for her, the music does the talking.
Celeste Albotelli: “It just speaks to your emotions, your thoughts. And it feels like you’re talking to someone, but with sound. And it’s the most amazing feeling.”
Funding was an issue from day one. So Morales said she got a little creative for instruments.
Elizabeth Morales: “As you can see around the room, we have Home Depot buckets all over us so that’s how we started, with the buckets.”
Whether it’s a bucket or brass, the students don’t mind, as long as they feel the rhythm together.
And now — thanks to donations — they have been able to get more instruments for the kids to play.
Caleb: “We all feel a connection to each other, and we forget about the stress, everything, forget about that, it’s about the music.”
Caleb is a general education student. He joined Unified Beats for the music, but found something deeper.
Caleb: “And we’re all equal, we’re all friends, we’re all family. So I don’t think anyone is better than anyone.”
Those friendships are now extending beyond the classroom to the cafeteria.
Regina’s son Tyson has Down syndrome. She said it’s inclusion like this her family has been waiting for.
Regina Coates: “When Tyson is around his typically developing peers, he wants to do what they’re doing, so he tries extra hard. His performance level, everything is heightened when he has these kinds of opportunities.”
Parents and teachers alike say thanks to the Unified Beats band, students are coming out of their shell and participating more in and out of the classroom.
Elizabeth Morales: “They’re not scared anymore; they’re ready to go, they’re ready to play.”
And that’s music to everyone’s ears.
Courtney Allen, 7News.
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