Have you ever heard a toddler say "I do it all by myself!" and then watch him beam with pride when he did? My students will probably never be able to live alone without supervision, but they are capable of making a bowl of oatmeal or fixing a peanut butter sandwich.
My students have autism and/or multiple disabilities.
They are beautiful children who have been given hefty challenges to overcome. They spend all day in a classroom trying to learn skills most of us take for granted--tying their shoes, washing their hands, and making friends. They attend a public school in a rural setting, and many travel for several hours back and forth from school every day.
My Project
Currently, my students have no means by which to learn independent living skills in the area of food and health. With the hot plate and toaster oven and other appliances, we can make simple meals and snacks they can replicate on their own at home. We can use the dishes and utensils to practice setting a table, and while eating our goodies, we can practice good hygiene and manners. We can offer practical math skills and reinforce the skill of following directions with the measuring cups and spoons. In having a classroom kitchen, some of the students may discover they are good at making juice, and another finds they can count out the appropriate number of place settings. Everyone learns they are capable of something! Through teamwork, they discover invaluable skills that apply in all settings. Most importantly, these supplies will foster independence and self-confidence.
Students can develop skills of things they CAN do, instead of just being entertained for the duration of the school day.
If they are able to do something as simple as make a bowl of cereal or fix a sandwich, not only do they gain pride in themselves, but they start to relieve the heavy toll some of their caregivers feel. Even if all a child can do at first is mix with a spoon, they have accomplished a new task for that day, and that is true education.
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