Help! I need a music class alternative

[Diane Wieland]

My first-grader can't stand music class--all those little bodies crowded on to unstable risers with 20 little voices all singing off-key and at different pace,not to mention the very loud piano. Yikes. Not sure I could either. I have asked my school resource teacher if he could just listen to music on headphones or something, but I want to come up with other ideas so the kid doesn't feel like too much of an odd-ball. We have tried putting him on the end of the riser, but he has proprioceptive disorder, too, so that doesn't work.
His teacher tried to get him to cooperate by offering to let him play his piano at the end of the class, but that doesn't really work with auditory processing dysfunction. It's not a matter of will or a behavior problem.

Any ideas. It's getting very painful for both the teacher and my child as the Spring music program gets closer. I have found that other parents are sometims the best resource I have.

[Patty K.]

Ear protectors that are used to block sound (safety ones used to block out noise from power equiptment). Sounds strange & looks a little out of place but I like it. My son has the same problem at church with all the singing. We let him wear the ear protectors. He can be with the group and not overwhelmed by the "noise" as he calls it. I don't think it is about being an odd ball it is a sensory issue. Kids are really understanding if it is explained that the music is too loud and hurts his ears. We encourage our son to participate but don't force things that are "hurtful" to him. Then it is not a behavior issue. I am more concerned about him developing behaviors to avoid sensory problems than looking odd. He loves them so much that he wears them at home when I vaccume, cut the lawn or any other loud noises.