I teach a very creative, active and eager to learn bunch of third graders in an urban school district in Ohio. My number one goal as a teacher is to build a classroom community where each and every student feels welcome and safe to take the risks needed to become the best learner that they can be.
Risk, trust, challenge, cooperation, and problem-solving are the five core values that the staff, and students of our school teach, learn and live by every day.
By teaching these core values from an early age we are building a community of learners and leaders who will not only support one another but also challenge each other to reach for the stars and be change makers.
Our classroom community enjoys completing hands on service learning projects that help the community around us. They also enjoy learning from "experts" inside and outside of our school on field trips and by inviting guests into our school to share their knowledge. Learning with these incredible students is an amazing journey where each day is a new and exciting adventure.
My Project
The items that I am requesting in my project are to help build a classroom space that is calm, welcoming, and provides seating for students who need a chance to move their bodies while they work.
By providing a comfortable student-centered learning space students will learn to work collaboratively within our learning community and learn to make the most appropriate choice for how and where their best learning takes place in the classroom.
I have been implementing flexible seating in my classroom for the last three years. We have a "family room" space with two benches and a rug where we meet for whole group instruction. I also have yoga balls, seats made out of milk crates and paint buckets. All of my current seating options have been garage sale finds or low budget DIY projects that I am having to replace often. The Learniture stools will provide us with a more sturdy option that allows my students to move back and forth while they work without the risk of slipping out from under them like the crates and buckets. The stools are also very easy for the kids to pick up and move around to different collaborative work spaces throughout the day.
The light covers are a solution to help my students who come to me with sensory issues. The bright light that comes off of the florescent bulbs often causes headaches, eyestrain, extra stress and anxiety as the day goes on. Research has proven that by filtering this light through a colored panel that some of these symptoms can be lessened. The blue panels that I have chosen will add a soothing effect to the classroom as the students come to learn daily.
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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. Young and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
