My students need stability balls to replace our traditional classroom chairs to encourage focus, responsibility, the health of the students, and academic performance.
"Sitting still is overrated. It makes sense for the opera or for meditating, but in most classrooms and child care centers, it's given far more honor than it deserves. Children need to move." ~Tom Hunter, National Association for the Education of Young Children.
My classroom is full of energetic and curious seven and eight year old children.
They love to learn, are excited to be part of our learning community, and are extremely social beings. Our school is a diverse mix of students. We are in a University town, but in a county with extreme poverty. Because of this we have international students beside students who need to take extra food at breakfast and lunch to ensure that they have something to eat at dinner. We have children of professors, children who have English as their second or third language, and children who are homeless. Every day is a challenge and every child needs something so different to be successful.
My Project
These stability balls would replace our regular classroom chairs. I believe that children need to move and that they learn better when they are encouraged to move. There have been so many research reports of late that support the idea that movement increases academic performance. I think that these chairs could be a phenomenal way to support the students. I have many children with learning disabilities and several with a diagnoses of ADHD. These chairs can be a perfect way to give these students an outlet for their energy while helping them to focus and learn. These chairs are also fantastic for the health of the students, encouraging them to balance and move. I am excited to add an element to our room that is fun, encourages movement, and helps the students to focus and learn.
These balls will have a noticeable and immediate positive effect on the students.
I can picture them happily bouncing at their desks while they are learning and staying engaged. I hope that these chairs will increase their fitness levels and help the students that need it most to remain focused. I know that our academic performance and our love of learning will increase exponentially with just this simple change.
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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. McGarry and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
