Teacher Dr. Don DeVito spends much of his time and effort making sure that the talents of his special students are recognized and appreciated.
As it happens, his successes in doing just that are also earning recognition and appreciation.
DeVito, who teaches music to students with moderate and profound disabilities at Sidney Lanier School, was recently named the Marjorie Crick Teacher of the Year by the Florida Council for Exceptional Children. He was one of just four finalists in the state, and is now eligible for the national level award, which will be announced next year in Nashville, Tennessee.
But DeVito isn’t focused on any personal recognition. For him, the award has a broader message.
“It shows that what we’re doing in arts is important and good for these kids,” he said. “It reinforces the positive things we’re trying to do in music education for kids with disabilities.”
DeVito is committed to giving his students the opportunity to share their musical talents with the world beyond his classroom. His students have performed at state meetings, at a music festival at Disney World and at a wide variety of local venues. And the biggest, most prestigious venue is still ahead, as Lanier’s band prepares for a concert in New York’s Carnegie Hall next spring.
“You can imagine how proud the students and their families are,” said Sidney Lanier principal Cathy Costello. “Don is the one who makes experiences like that possible for our kids.”
Technology is also allowing DeVito to bring the world to his students, and vice versa. Through the internet and video conferencing, his classroom is linked with music educators and students in places like Brazil and Guinea and in colleges and universities throughout the U.S. That interaction has created a meaningful and ongoing learning opportunity for participants on both ends of the link.
“The university students gain valuable experience in working with learners with special needs, and our students get individualized music lessons,” said Costello. “It’s a win-win.”
DeVito’s methods and successes have been recognized in several books and other publications. He himself has written a number of published articles, and a chapter in a soon-to-be-published book on music education is based on his dissertation on autism and behavioral communication.
DeVito says the combination of technology and music in his classroom creates an opportunity for students with even the most profound disabilities to learn and express themselves.
“We use both the music and the technology to help them understand concepts and to communicate,” he said. “I want my students to be able to transcend their challenges.”