Don't you get tired when you have to sit in a chair for hours doing work? Can you imagine if you couldn't stand up to walk around and stretch your muscles? My students who utilize wheelchairs know this frustration. They need a safe place where they can relax and stretch out their tired muscles.
I work with middle school aged students who have multiple disabilities in a separate school that specializes in educating students with multiple disabilities.
All of my students are non-verbal and cannot express their needs clearly. Many of them require the use of a wheelchair as their primary seating and mobility. They require assistance to get in and out of their wheelchairs. They require assistance in all self-care activities.
My students have to work very hard to get their bodies to do what they want them to do. They get very fatigued after sitting in their wheelchairs doing their school work They need times built into the schedule for them to get out of their wheelchairs and relax. They need a safe, soft space to do this.
My Project
When my students have to sit in their wheelchairs for extended periods of time, they get very tired. When they get tired, they are not able to attend and participate to the fullest extent of their abilities. Getting out of their wheelchairs lets them stretch out and move around. Because some of them roll and flail their bodies when outside of their wheelchair, we need a safe, soft mat to protect them from injury. Having a safe, soft mat to relax and move on would allow my students a chance to calm and recoup in between activities. They would then be refreshed and ready to continue learning when it is time to get back into their wheelchairs for the next lesson.
All students have a lot to focus on everyday at school.
When they have multiple disabilities, they also have to focus on where their bodies are in space, how to move their bodies, how to overcome increased or decreased muscle tone, and still learn their school work. It can become very overwhelming at times. Your donation to this project will help give them a safe place where they can relax and regain focus for further lessons each day. It will allow them to gain more from their education
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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. N. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.