Help me give my students flexible seating options AND body pillows to read on/with, including covers that can be washed weekly to ensure the cleanliness of our room and the flow of our centers!
The students I work with are an eager and excited group who, every day, push themselves to engage, learn, and use English in a variety of ways. They are a unique population of kiddos ranging from 6-8th grade (so about 11-14 years old). All students in my class are new immigrants to the United States within last 2 years and many are considered refugees. Some are coming from traumatic backgrounds and/or home countries at war.
On top of all this change, they are in middle school; working towards assimilating while still holding true to their family, cultural, and/or religious values.
Needless to say, my students are tough! They speak many different languages including (but not limited to) Spanish, Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Chinese, Somali, Swahili, and the list goes on. One thing they all have in common is that they are ALL learning English TOGETHER, and I am their teacher!
Anything helps! They are an extremely high needs population. Many are living below the poverty line and thrive on stability, repetition, and clarity from their teachers. Most importantly, they are KIND, dedicated and impress me everyday!
My Project
The ability level of students in my classroom ranges from kinder to about 3rd/4th grade. Thus, creating time and space to work with smaller groups or even 1-on-1 with the teacher is ideal! Students buy in when they feel invited and can find some level of comfort. Creating a relationship that brings joy is key! When reading, whether it be alone or with someone else, having a pillow to relax on and snuggle up ensures students stay engages and "in their own bubble" the whole time they are expected to be doing such a task. If also helps the teacher with behavior management because they are engaged, rather then up, walking around, or distracted. Plus, it doesn't hurt that they are excited to use these "tools" when reading!
When students are deep into working on writing, having a lap desk to find a comfortable or a safe setting to let the creative juices flow, creates an opportunity for that student to go beyond their comfort zone and step into a new realm of possibilities.
My goal as their teacher is to give these students as many creative opportunities as possible to cultivate a positive relationship with their learning. Developing school as a comfortable and safe setting to be AND cultivating confidence is our first steps in creating life-long learners! Thanks for helping!
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