My special education classroom provides a sensory friendly learning program for students with various levels of autism. When teaching students, I try to use a creative approach to learning, with various hands-on resources to support engagement.
Students become engaged with an activity when it is a hands-on experience.
Once a teacher can engage students, then learning can take place. I believe that it is important to have multiple hands-on learning experiences in my classroom.
This project has various materials listed that will support as well as enhance student engagement in my classroom.
My Project
This project is unique in that I am asking for a few items to increase student engagement. In my class the best way to engage students is to "trick" them into learning. How do I do this? First, I engage them by doing an activity that DOESN'T involve a screen, paper or pencil. We first play with the object and then I embed the learning piece. I always need new materials to support this engagement. This is why I am asking for many new materials. For example, the Hot Dots provide immediate reinforcement when the child answers a correct answers and electronically cheers for the student. It will also redirect a student to try again if their choice is incorrect. These will be used at an independent work station or in small group. Since our school is a STEM school, I chose the Snap Circuits for the students to use when following the Design Cycle. These Snap Circuits will support the Design Cycle philosophy which is design, improve, share. Students will need to improve their circuits until they make the correct connections. The magnifiers will be used when we work in our school garden and can be used to look at bugs up close! When the students see these new tools for observing, they will be thrilled. Lastly, I am asking for a token board to support with on-task behaviors and to provide some students with a visual that reinforces task completion.
This project is going to allow me to have more tricks in my hat.
More tricks will lead me to provide more opportunities to engage my students and increase learning opportunities in my classroom! I work with many of the same students from year to year, so these materials will be exciting to share with students!
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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. Barlow and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
