Accessing Our Environment: Sensory Integration for Everyone
My students need sensory toys and tools in order to be able to attend to activities, process their environment, and build motor strength during the school day.
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
Can you imagine trying to study while someone turns the lights on and off repeatedly? What about paying attention to a lesson while wearing clothes that are way too tight or scratchy? These are just some examples of how you may begin to imagine learning as a child with sensory challenges.
The 3, 4, and 5 year old students in my class are all eager to learn and grow.
They are a diverse bunch of kids bringing with them individual lives and minds, not to mention needs and desires. Our classroom is part of a Title 1 public elementary school in Washington DC. My class is a special education class in which all students have moderate to severe developmental delays. This means they may have delays in social-emotional, cognitive, physical, language, and/or academic skills. This does not mean they should not get to experience everything a typical school environment can provide. Many students with developmental delays have difficulty processing parts of their environments or sensory stimulation. This is connected to hyperactivity, aggressiveness, and speech delays.
My Project
With the resources I am requesting, my students will be able to further access the curriculum and enjoy their school experience. There are items that will allow children to receive the sensory stimulation they require in order to pay attention and focus on an activity or another person. Other items will be for improving proprioceptive (awareness of one's body in space) and tactile senses. These materials will give my entire class the ability to engage with their learning in a deeper more meaningful way without the road blocks of sensory challenges.
Any support toward this project will go directly toward making a huge change in my student's experience of school.
They will now have the opportunity to discover what works best for them and to have their schooling tailored to their needs. With these materials, my classroom will no longer be bogged down with the side effects of sensory processing challenges. Each child will be more free!
More than half of 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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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. Helgerson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
