THE RHYTHMIC ARTS PROJECT INCORPORATED

The Rhythmic Arts Project (TRAP) founded in 1997 touches hundreds of lives locally in the Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties and the world at large. Our program focuses on educating individuals with intellectual and developmental differences by embracing a curriculum that encompasses rhythm as a modality to address basic life and learning skills as well as reading, writing, and arithmetic. The TRAP program accomplishes amazing learning results documented throughout its nearly 23 years of existence. TRAP's ongoing efforts provide students with the tools and confidence needed to succeed in the world. Members naturally develop confidence and a positive self-image. Most important is that group teaching occurs in an environment that is supportive and fun!

Training, Training, Training
As we are all aware, our students are often on different levels intellectually. In any given class, we may need to adjust our lesson plan depending on the individual ability level. This is simply achieved as the exercises are designed to modify in accordance with the student’s capabilities.

*Example: One student may struggle with adding 2 + 2, while another may excel in math, therefore, performing a more difficult solution. In our TRAP Math video, you can see how adjusting the numbers and drums can enable the lessons quite efficiently for each student. From something as simple as adding 1-2-3, to an involved mathematical equation, this is fun while significant tutorial.
In the navigation on the TRAP website, look to the bottom of the page where it says;
Continued education: TRAP Math
Here you’ll find the video explanation including “Rolling the Dice” as an added fun assignment.

*So, let's establish our initial classes together.
I believe we should deviate slightly from the penned curriculum. What we have discovered in our experiences is that classes need a specific design and tailored facilitation. So ... let’s choose those lessons that meet the needs of our individual students. We will see that each lesson has room to expand and room to innovate.
From the top of the book: Source, www.traplearning.org
At TRAP, we expect Intelligence

Program & Services

The Rhythmic Arts Project is an inclusive, innovative educational program serving the special needs community as well as typical preschools and lower grades. The curriculum is comprehensive offering a wide range of subjects addressing various ability levels. Our Members represent diverse ethnic backgrounds and range in age from 1 to more than 85 years old. Diagnoses range from mild to profound cognitive disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer's, Autism, mobility/hearing/vision impairments, and traumatic brain injury.
The methodology is based on perceptual-motor match, visual, tactile, and auditory combined with speech. The students can see, feel, and hear the lessons and simultaneously speak the answers.
The program is facilitated in no less than 14 countries. Sites include Special Education Schools, Organizations and Foundations who serve people with various disabilities as well as preschools where both "typical" and Intellectually Disabled children attend.
*We continue to add organizations, schools, new teachers all over the world, and innovations in the curriculum in several languages. We've just begun, our digital footprint is deep and in practice every day in many places in the world.

Here at TRAP, we’ve been working every day to make the lives of those we serve a little better through education and purposeful, productive time spent whether in quarantine or out in the community. Many of our folks are essential workers and are out there every day as part of that workforce providing us with our necessities. We have an entire United Cerebral Palsy / WORK INC. Crew working to keep the Santa Barbara Harbor safe and clean during this time of Corona. Others are working in warehouses, grocery, and various stores across the country, proudly taking their place as everyday heroes.
We are reminded of how essential our friends with Intellectual and Developmental Differences are in our world, especially in these times.

TRAP classes have been made available free of charge throughout this time of uncertainty and we will continue to serve. Our favorite teacher, a facilitator from Quito, Ecuador, Piqui has donated her expertise and precious time to entertain our young ones every day with various readings from several of her favorite children’s books and with Zoom TRAP classes as well. They can be found on our Facebook pages @ TRAP online classes https://www.facebook.com/TheRhythmicArtsProject/

I have made our curriculum from the TRAP website available to anyone working in our population with children or adults at home. This, with personal guidance and direction for the asking. It’s a wealth of peer studied, published information. https://traplearning.org/
All We've done in the past 5 years has been to ensure the longevity and the integrity of The Rhythmic Arts Project. We've aligned the project with like-minded, dedicated teachers, and administrators who fully embrace the educational quality of the methods we employ.
"TRAP makes Learning Fun" is still the essence of the facilitation though
education is clearly the onus for those working directly with our students, young and old.

I've done my best to position the company as an innovative, viable way to enhance the lives of people with disabilities and their typical peers. Having surrounded me with brilliant therapeutic and pedagogical minds has made the curriculum what it is. This collaborative effort has become the fabric of the methodology.

Again, we have only just begun.