Emotional Regulation and Academic Learning Through Visual Arts
Help me give my students oil pastels, tempera paint in primary and skin tone colors, as well as brushes and trays so we can incorporate more art into our classroom that reflects our diversity, talent, and academic understandings.
"Yes, I am first in class!" Every day, my students bolt down the hall and into our classroom, eager to be the first to arrive. As they funnel in through the door, I can feel their energy and excitement to be at school, engaging with their friends and community members. I greet them with a grin, and handshake and and after they unpack, they settle into their quiet morning routine of independent reading before our daily community meeting.
I am honored and excited to teach a group of 25 spirited fifth-graders, many of whom come from bilingual homes, and receive free or reduced meals.
We are an urban Title I school, right on the edge of our district, with a highly migrant population. This means that many of the students who start the year out in our class will move away and be replaced by new students from families moving into the area. My students face many challenges, both in and out of the classroom due to financial insecurity and adverse childhood experiences.
By setting high expectations, providing clear routines and keeping things simple, I aim to create a welcoming, calming and comfortable space and community for my students.
My Project
The artistic process and creation of art provides students with opportunities to express themselves, identify and regulate their emotions, and demonstrate academic understanding. However, this is often highly underrated and vastly underfunded in our schools.
Many students in my class do not have art materials at home, and with our funding going towards language arts, math and science, art often is not created in the classroom.
My students are so excited to receive the oil pastels, paints and brushes so that we can incorporate visual arts that are reflective of our backgrounds, cultures, and experiences into our classroom community and our learning. Not only will my students be able to experience the joy of artistic creation and hone in their fine motor skills, they will learn new artistic techniques, pursue personal interests and passions, as well as create as a form of demonstrating academic understanding and taking action.
With all of the pressure students are often under, giving them space to slow down, take their time, and create masterpieces that are reflective of themselves as whole is beneficial in many arenas, including academics, behavior, and mental and emotional health.
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 Mrs. Elmer and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
