The 'Just Right' Classroom: Supporting Sensory Needs
My students need materials such as a Puzzle Rack Stocked, Sensory Bar Desk Buddy, Fidgets, headphones, etc. to help them process sensory input. They have special needs and these materials will support them as they learn to monitor their sensory needs.
Most of us can sit in a chair and do our work when asked. What if your body felt "off" all day because the room was too loud, or your shirt was too itchy, or you couldn't sit still. What if you struggled to make your body feel 'just right' so that you could focus, sit down, and learn?
All of my students have special needs.
They have a wide variety of needs from autism to intellectual disabilities. Most of my students have difficulty processing sensory input (smells, touch, sounds, etc.) These difficulties make their bodies feel 'off' and in turn make it difficult for them to sit still, concentrate, and learn. Our school has almost 600 students from a wide variety of backgrounds. The students I work with are hardworking and want to do well. They want to learn, but often their difficulties processing sensory input make it hard for them to learn. Many of my students struggle with fine motor control and need supports to improve their fine motor control. They need supports to help to make their bodies feel 'just right' so that they can learn and concentrate.
My Project
My students are hardworking and want to learn. They need these materials to help their bodies calm down so that they can learn. The desk sensory bars will be installed at their seats so that they can use them to receive tactile feedback as they are at their desk and working. The headphones will be used to help buffer noise when there are activities in the school that are too loud. They can also be used with our tablets to help make the room quieter when they are on the tablets. The tangle fidgets will allow the students tactile feedback and a way to get out their extra energy as they complete their work. The puzzles as well as cutting and tracing materials will help the students struggling with fine motor skills to practice their fine motor control and increase their ability to form letters and participate in the regular classroom. Using these materials will allow the students to monitor their levels of sensory input and help them to feel 'just right' so that they can focus and learn.
This project will make a difference in the lives of over two dozen students with special needs.
These materials will allow the students to calm their bodies so that they are comfortable and able to learn when they are at school. Giving the students outlets for their sensory and fine motor needs will help them to get more work done. They will learn more because they will not be using all of their energy on focusing to control their body, they will be able to use that energy to learn.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Barnhouse and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
