Our school serves over 400 Kindergarten through 5th grade students in Portland, Maine.
Our city, community, and our students are very diverse and have a wide range of needs.
We work hard to ensure that we are systematically meeting academic, social/emotional, and other developmental needs of all our students.
As a school counselor, I work with all 440 of these students in some capacity to ensure they all have the skills they need to succeed in school, college, and life.
My Project
Kids get antsy! And different students need different tools to help them focus. Sometimes its as simple as physical comfort - tools like an inflatable seat can help a student feel more comfortable on the floor and sit longer. Elastic bands allow kids to rest their feet or use their muscles when they are sitting at their desk. I've also requested pencil grippers to help students who are frustrated with writing and fine motor skills. Fidget can also develop fine motor skills while helping more tactile students focus on learning.
With these tools, we can try more strategies in the classroom to help all students be successful.
Many of the tools I have selected are used often in special education settings and with students who receive occupational therapy or physical therapy services. Having access to these tools to try in the general education setting allows our intervention teams to try new strategies with students who might need it, but don't necessarily need special education services.
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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 Ms. Baltren and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
