My students need 12 soothing light filters and six stress balls.
$217 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.
Students in our classroom sit each day under twelve fluorescent lights- bright, white and sterile. Throughout the day students begin to wane and almost without fail, one set of lights is shut off. Still, students need additional resources to manage their behavior, energy, and stress.
Our Special Education classroom consists of 12 students within the 4th-6th grade range.
As a Cross Categorical Academic class, our focus is on academics; however, a majority of the students are also identified as English Language Learners. Most are classified as having a Specific Learning Disorder. Aside from academic needs, many of our students have additional sensory needs, including sensitivity to light and sound and needing additional movement. Our school is a Title I 4th-8th grade middle school in Arizona. Over 90% of our students qualify for free and reduced lunch.
My Project
My students need soothing light filters and stress balls. The varied sensory needs in our class can be disruptive to student learning, when not met, whether externally or internally. When a student is distracted or over stimulated, they struggle to focus on their learning. Many of our students, will begin to fidget, talk, and touch other students. Students regularly complain about the brightness of our lights, but when we leave one set turned off it leaves some portions of the room too dark. Studies have shown that unfiltered florescent lights can be aggravating, but when a cool white light (blue hues) is used, it can help reduce behavior problems and improve performance (http://sgo.sagepub.com/content/2/2/2158244012445585). Beyond adjusting the visual impact of our classroom, students need support in curbing their impulses to move and touch. The stress balls listed are durable and have previously proven successful in our classroom. I had previously purchased three, but those have been lost.
The light filters will help students reduce inappropriate behavior and improve academic performance.
Students who are pushing out of our class into general education classrooms have appreciated a tool to help ease their stress in the busier, often more intimidating environment. In our classroom this is a tool that helps control the fidgets. With these new stress balls, we will have students check them out to prevent loss or theft.
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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 Mx. Graham and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
