Help me give my students an area where they can go to read, study, or just get away, by using the flex seating, a listening center, and a creative art area.
The students I work with are special needs students. I work with kindergarten through sixth graders. I have a few that I have almost all day long in my learning center and then I have students that come to me for Reading, Writing, and/or Math. I have students that I teach all academic subjects to them. I work with students with Autism, specific learning disabilities and behavior, and I work with nonverbal students as well.
It is a NEW Adventure every day in my classroom.
My students provide me with fun, excitement, and even heartache. My students can be tough and they need more love and care. I find myself at times being their mom, doctor, psychologist, custodian, health care provider, etc. It is a job that I have been doing for over 22 years and I would never give it up. My students are my world, and I never know from day to day how my "family" will act. My students have tough days and days that are amazing. I have seen my students that are non-verbal start using words, sounds, and huge smiles. Like I said, a new adventure every day.
My Project
Flexible seating allows students to take charge of their learning and make the choices that work best for them, giving them many adventures and events to learn. Currently, my students are choosing to work in a variety of locations in our room such as: sitting under tables with clipboards, sitting at study carrels, sitting or laying on the floor with a laptop. I have noticed amazing differences in my students when they are given a choice in their seating. They are more engaged and get more work completed than when they are just sitting at their desk or my table. The listening couch will allow students to use music, or background sounds to help aid in their learning or work with tablets. It also allows my nonverbal students to sit and listen to stories on tapes and listen for words and get that model of speech from the readers. The flex seating of the couch allows those students who like to work at a couch, and the art easels give them the opportunity to use their imaginations to aid in their learning.
The new Adventures and dreams that students have and want will be seen through their work, behaviors, and the love of learning.
Flex seating allows for my students to have other means to learn and feel more comfortable in their environment. My students are noticeably more engaged in their work and less disruptive of their peers when they are given a choice of where to work. I have seen my students take pride in their learning and shine. My behavior students are less likely to cause problems because they have more choices in where they can learn.
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