My students need more flexible seating options to add to our classroom! My goal is to fill my classroom entirely with flexible seating options, and these balance balls will provide seating for an entire table!
I am an extremely fortunate teacher to 20 amazing kindergarten students. My class of kindergartners and our school community are unique in a few ways. My school is located near three major military installations, and, as a result, we have an extremely high number of military families. Nearly 50% of my students have one or more parents that are active duty military.
These students are such a unique, resilient, and exceptional group.
Many of my students, military or not, endure and work through things that many adults never have to deal with. I strive to create a fun, safe, nurturing, and loving school environment for my students. Our classroom is a home away from home and a place where my students can find love, support, and encouragement.
We are also unique due to the lack of funding we receive. Many of our students qualify for free and reduced price lunch but not enough to pull additional funding into our classrooms. In my school, we often discuss how our student population is struggling but not struggling enough for us to get the funding and support we need. Additionally, my district is now in a financial crisis. We need help!
My Project
If you've met a Kindergartner lately, you know they wiggle, move, fidget, and dance. Now imagine asking these kiddos to sit still and listen or work for extended periods of time in a hard, plastic chair. The short of the story is that this is very difficult for many students. Most Kindergartners learn, listen, and focus better when they are able to stand, wiggle, sway, or move. Traditional classroom furniture does not support this.
The academic expectations in Kindergarten are not what they used to be, and many students need changes and accommodations, like choices in seating, in order to be successful.
Flexible seating, like these balance balls, can have a tremendous impact on a Kindergarten student's ability to focus and learn.
There is so much research today that shows that traditional learning strategies, classroom structures, and furniture are not what is best for our students. These seating options will support so many of my students and have a huge impact on their learning and comfort in our classroom. With the ability to safely wiggle, fidget, and move while working, many students will be able to focus for longer periods of time and will produce better work and learn more in the long run.
These balance balls will also become a staple in my classroom for many years to come. These balance balls will last a long time with my Kindergarten students and can be used year after year to impact student learning. Funding this project will have an impact on my current classroom of students, as well as students for many years to come!
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Becker and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
