This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
My students are an enthusiastic and curious group of Kindergarten through eighth graders at a Chicago Public Schools elementary school on the south side of the city. I work primarily with students who have social-emotional needs identified on their Individual Education Plan, which is a plan developed for diverse learners to meet their educational needs. (If you live outside Chicago, we use "diverse learners" to describe what other states or cities may refer to as special education students). We work together to help them meet their social-emotional goals!
My students are technology experts and enthusiasts who enjoy spending a portion of their social-emotional lessons using technology to practice and apply new skills.
I strive to always provide interesting and engaging lessons for them because they deserve nothing less.
My Project
I've seen teachers and school social workers be most successful when using multiple mediums to teach and apply new skills. Giving students opportunities to practice and apply what they learn is important so that they have the opportunity to receive feedback--students always want to know how they're doing! Also, as the instructional leader it allows me to see what skills they may need more direct instruction on.
We currently use various methods to practice our social-emotional skills such as board games, discussion prompts, skill practice worksheets, and role-play--the one method missing is interactive applications.
iPads will allow students to use apps such as The Social Express, If You Can, and Emotionary to practice skills that align with their social-emotional goals, such as identifying emotions, using self-regulation strategies, and implementing decision-making protocols. They can also use the iPad to create videos that show examples of themselves using positive social skills and conflict resolution skills. The current example videos for social skills online do not frequently reflect students of their racial background, so these videos will help them create their own culturally relevant exemplars.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Tyler and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
