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Mrs. Gordon's Classroom Edit display name

  • Frankie Woods McCullough Academy
  • Gary, IN
  • Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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A calming down corner is a must have in my classroom. I have taught in high poverty schools for my entire teaching career. Unfortunately, that often means that many of my students do not always feel safe at home. Many of them have experienced significant trauma. Far to often many of them do not have consistency outside of school. My number one priority, above test scores, above reading level levels, above anything really, has always been to provide my students with a feeling of safety at school. It is important to me that my students feel safe to experience whatever emotions they are dealing with, and I want to teach them how to self manage, or self regulate these emotions. I teach them that emotions are feeling, and feelings are okay. ALL of them. It's how you react to them that's important. I know you have to teach standards, but when Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is taught effectively, it provides a foundation for better adjustment and academic performance due to more positive social behaviors, fewer conduct problems, less emotional stress, which will yield improved test scores. By engaging my students' attention, both cognitively and physically, they can shift their attention from the stresser to the sensory toys, or the Crayola Ultimate Light Board Drawing Tablet.

About my class

A calming down corner is a must have in my classroom. I have taught in high poverty schools for my entire teaching career. Unfortunately, that often means that many of my students do not always feel safe at home. Many of them have experienced significant trauma. Far to often many of them do not have consistency outside of school. My number one priority, above test scores, above reading level levels, above anything really, has always been to provide my students with a feeling of safety at school. It is important to me that my students feel safe to experience whatever emotions they are dealing with, and I want to teach them how to self manage, or self regulate these emotions. I teach them that emotions are feeling, and feelings are okay. ALL of them. It's how you react to them that's important. I know you have to teach standards, but when Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is taught effectively, it provides a foundation for better adjustment and academic performance due to more positive social behaviors, fewer conduct problems, less emotional stress, which will yield improved test scores. By engaging my students' attention, both cognitively and physically, they can shift their attention from the stresser to the sensory toys, or the Crayola Ultimate Light Board Drawing Tablet.

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About my class

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