Help me give my students a comfy seat, STEM kit, wobble chairs, engineering center, timer, write and wipe pockets for a STEM Center in our classroom to explore engineering and the creative process.
I teach elementary students with autism. Students with varying ability levels are encouraged to interact with other students. Our school uses inclusionary practices to help children with autism. I have a classroom in a high poverty, rural school district. The students at my school face challenges because of their socioeconomic status. Each of them comes with a unique background that enriches our classroom. We love the diversity in our classroom! Reading, writing, math, science and social skills are all part of our busy day.
7 students with autism are in my class full time and the rest are able participate in general education classes with support from myself and an assistant.
Some of our students might be learning to read, while others are able to read challenging texts.
My class aide and I encourage our students to learn something new and to make choices every day.
My Project
Centers allow students to take charge of their learning and make the choices about what interest them. During Center Time they choose a location in the classroom that works for them. Currently my students are choosing to work in a variety of locations in our room such as: Reading Center, Math Center, or Science Center. Making sure students are comfortable and engage is key in motivating them in self-directed learning. My students are excited when they are given a choice of centers. They almost always make good choices about where they sit, are more engaged, and get more work completed than when they are just sitting at their desk.
My students are noticeably more engaged in their work and less disruptive of their peers when they are given choices of centers to work in.
The products that I have selected will help my students by giving them an additional STEM center option to make more effective learning choices. The wobble stools and benches will allow students to sit will allow students to sit comfortably while learning in the STEM Center. The Folk Tales Problem Solving STEM Kits, House Building Engineering Center kit, and the Reusable Write & Wipe Pocket will be extremely beneficial for students that need to hands on learning. They can help spark an interest in possible future careers for my students with Autism! The kits will also help them to better understand the world they live in. They will be able to apply what they learn outside of the classroom. The Light-Up Countdown Timer will help my students to know when to transition out of the STEM center.
I have seen how choice can positively affect my students work and demeanor and hope that the additional option of a STEM center will help us grow even more!
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