Help me give my students a multi sensory area filled with a purpose.
$600 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
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.
I teach a special education self-contained class called Total Communication. It is an autism unit and most of my students are also diagnosed with speech and language impairment. I believe that communication is one of the basic skills a child must possess in order to be successful in education and life, in general! It is heartwarming to witness how some of my students who were only using gestures to communicate are now speaking in words. Most of them started in 3rd grade without any phonological awareness are now emerging readers and writers.
For the past 2 school years, my class has participated in the Martinez Idol (Talent Competition).
This is a breakthrough as students with autism usually have deficits in social skills. They even refused to talk to their other schoolmates and teachers three years ago. But during the competitions, they showed how they are destined to be stars. They danced and sang their hearts away. I saw several students, parents, and staff members tearing up. As I looked at my students, I saw pure happiness. They are finally part of the community, not merely as audience but active participants.
My Project
My students have autism and I perceive their (over/under) stimulated senses as strengths. When their sensory needs are met, their learning will increase tremendously. I have some students who exhibit characteristics of an eating disorder called Pica. Students with this disorder "frequently crave and eat nonfood items"(kidshealth.org). Sensory motor materials such as chew bracelets and flavored chew necklace will diminish the tendency to eat toxic and unsafe objects. Furthermore, sensory light cube will cultivate their strengths in working with extensive materials. That is the beauty I witness everyday, my students can transform ordinary things into something magical. Their senses empower them to be creative and transcendent. Items such as body sox, gloves spikey, and sensory brush have the capability to decrease the students' challenging behaviors that have sensory-related functions.
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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 Ms. Elysa Sarmiento and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
