My students need a place to go when they are upset. It will be a calm down corner. They will be taught to use it instead of harming self, others, and or running out of class.
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 there own little people.
They like to move, they love to read, they love the digital world and love lots of positive attention.
Many of them are being raised in single-parent households and they all receive a free lunch based on their socioeconomic status. These things may prevent them from getting ahead early in life and may not provide them with the life experiences many of us see as "typical". From the minute they walk in the door of my classroom I focus on their potential and growth while they are with me. I greet them with a warm hug and smile. I may not be able to control their home lives, however, I can certainly control their experience during the school day. By doing this in a creative and positive way, I am hoping to inspire even our earliest learners to continue on a path of academic excellence.
My Project
Eventually, every child will encounter a time when they experience overwhelming emotions. Without self-regulation or a safe place to escape, these emotions can spiral into a chaotic episode.
When children feel great frustration, anger, sadness or anxiety, they become confused and may be unsure how to control their emotions.
By providing them with a quiet place (the calming box and books) to calm themselves down, children are then able to regain control over their own emotions. This also provides opportunities for diffusing a negative emotion or situation before it escalates. Children with autism like to crawl under things to calm down and this would be a better place so that it is not bothering others and the teacher can see him or her for safety.
Setting up a ‘chill out’ corner in the classroom gives children the responsibility of self-regulating their own emotions in a peaceful and safe place. In this box, a student can feel isolated from the class to give them a chance to bring themselves back. By looking at the books they can identify how they are feeling and then express it to the teacher. The books will at least allow them a way to point to the pictures so the teacher can understand their feelings and better help them deal with their emotions.
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 Ms. Shaw and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
