Cozy Corner: A Space for Reading and Self-Expression

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

"Children's emotions are as real as yours. Just because they might get sad over the color of their cup, doesn't make their feelings any less real." (Rebekah Lipp) Many of my students struggle with self-expression. It's my job to help them identify/come up with strategies to deal with those emotions.

My students include K-8th grade special education students in a low-income, urban Chicago public school.

All of them are either on the autism spectrum or have other diagnosed learning and/or emotional disabilities. Most of my students are in the general education classroom for the majority of the school day. For short periods throughout the day, they come to my room in small groups for more intensive instruction in reading or math, or to help them learn social skills, skills for coping with their emotions or behavior, or skills for helping them function independently. While in my room, they are able to work on the skills they are lacking to help them gain academic, behavioral, and social success and close the gap between them and their typical developing peers.

My Project

I am requesting a classroom reading rug, ‘emotion’ seat cushions and dolls, the ABC's of Yoga, and other materials to help my students with their social-emotional needs. I have students with cochlear implants and others that are sensitive to noise because of other diagnoses. The rug will help them hear and focus on instruction rather than environmental sounds. The emotion seat cushions, dolls, games, foam stickers, Velcro, etc. are tools to help my students identify and express their emotions. Many of my students have difficulty expressing how they are feeling and why. The seat cushions and dolls can help them identify their feelings and role play the triggers/reasons for why they feel the way they do. The ABC's of Yoga incorporates a story to help students learn letters and provides yoga poses that correspond to each letter. My students need frequent mental breaks, and this is a perfect way to incorporate both their learning and sensory needs.

By helping support this project, you will be providing my students with materials, resources and supports that will benefit their academic, behavioral, and social-emotional education.

You will be assisting them by helping to eliminate extra distractions in their environment and by providing them with resources to manage their behaviors and emotions. Through your help, they can learn to navigate, express themselves, and be successful in different educational and social environments.