My students need exercise balls to sit on at their table groups because this alternate form of a chair helps my students focus, learn and get their wiggles out!
"Sitting still is overrated. It makes sense for the opera or for meditating, but in most classrooms and child care centers, it's given far more honor than it deserves. Children need to move." ~Tom Hunter, National Association for the Education of Young Children
Exercise balls allow my kids to move!
My students are vivacious, eager-to-learn third graders who love school.
This particular class has been together two years, since I looped up to third grade with them. They have a camaraderie that is not found in the average classroom. They look forward to writing their appreciation cards on Fridays to their collaborative partner and receiving them as well. "Thank-you for helping me figure out my words when reading" or "thanks for sharing your new strategy in math with me" are among some of the comments they write. They joke with one another, they laugh together and they cry together, like when "Matt's" Dad passed away last year, or their eight year old friend died in a senseless car accident. They have shared their greatest fears and their joys together. Some even say, "I wish I could spend the weekend here," when Friday comes. This is why, when one day, "Sam" fell off of his chair for the hundredth time, I had a sudden inspiration to bring my exercise ball to school for him to sit on.
My Project
Some of my students have A.D.H.D. and have trouble sitting still. It is difficult for most students to sit still for any length of time. I have two students who need to bounce or jiggle all the time. When I brought my exercise ball in and "Sam" used it for the first time, his focus completely changed. He was able to concentrate on his work, finish his work and not interrupt the entire day. His entire demeanor changed. He was happy and content, gently and quietly bouncing on the exercise ball at his table. I was truly amazed. I just knew this would be a worthy project for Donor's Choose. I even announced to the students that I would be putting this project up during the winter break and the entire class cheered! Other students have begged to use the ball when he is absent. This is why I am asking for six additional exercise balls, so that my very wiggly students can access these on a daily basis and be able to focus on their work, not on their feeling trapped by sitting still in a chair.
I believe my classroom will be a calmer, more engaging environment for students to learn than it is now.
This is another tool for them to use in their learning day. There are two students who desperately need these exercise balls to sit on. I will rotate the other four balls among the table groups each week so that every child who wants to, can access them intermittently. These exercise balls will be a wonderful addition to a classroom that is providing many learning tools for them.
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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. Bageant and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
