The Adaptive Choir class at Oak Park and River Forest High School provides students in TEAM, a program support- ing students with intellectual and devel- opmental disabilities, the opportunity to create and learn music in a flexible and welcoming environment, with activities and routines catered towards their needs.

“I think music is for everyone, and everyone should be able to make music,” said Meridith McGuire, the choir director at OPRF.

During the 4th period class, students in Adaptive Choir participate in instrument exploration and body percussion, with a focus on learning a new song every few weeks. Every day, each student has a job, whether that’s passing out materials and instruments or choosing a song to be played at some point during class.

At the beginning of class, they all participate in a greeting song, in which McGuire greets and acknowledges each student. They conclude the class with a dismissal song which follows the same pattern and melody, which provides the students with a sense of routine.

McGuire suggested the Adaptive Choir to OPRF in 2015 during her first year as the choir director at OPRF, and it debuted in the fall of 2016. The idea came from McGuire’s previous teaching position at Oak Lawn Community High School, where every Friday they would have students from their AERO program (a joint high school choir program con- sisting of Argo Community High School, Reavis High School, Oak Lawn Commu- nity High School, and Evergreen Park Community High School) join them in choir.

McGuire said she enjoys the variety that Adaptive Choir brings to her teach- ing day. “There are some things I get to do in this class that I don’t necessarily do in other choirs,” she said. “We do body movements, instrument exploration, everybody gets to sing hello to each other.”

Senior Ava Lowell, who is an active member of the music department, has been volunteering as a student teacher for the Adaptive Choir for the past year, in replacement of her lunch period. Low- ell helps lead the class every day, but real- ly gets a feel for the teaching experience on Tuesdays and Thursdays where she mainly leads.

Since Lowell’s freshman year in choir, she’s known she wants to pursue a career in teaching music, and throughout her time at OPRF McGuire has provided her with as many teaching opportunities and experiences as possible.

“At the very end of my sophomore year, McGuire asked me to help out with a showcase,” Lowell said. “I came for one day and helped pass out instruments and I got to see what it was like. I was like, wow, that was the most fun period I’ve had.”

Now, as a senior, Lowell is going on her second year as an assistant in the class. “That’s the one class where I’m most myself because I feel like we’re all just ex- periencing music together and learning and having fun,” she said.

OPRF freshman Arzoi Taneja, a stu- dent in the class, gave her perspective on what it’s like to participate. When asked, “What do you feel when you’re in choir?” she excitedly responded with a bright smile and said, “Happy!”