The students that I teach are between 10th and 12th grade. The students in my class have a clinical diagnosis of severe emotional disturbance. They are in a single classroom all day because they have a hard time interacting with other peers and adults. I am ED teacher, and they are the most inspirational students I know. They all have hardships at home. Their lives are filled with poverty, drugs, gangs, and myself, who thinks the world of them. I will have these students for the next one to three years, so they will benefit from these supplies for a long time. Our school is a career tech high school, and all of our students are being educated to be career and college ready.
Typically my students are referred to as the "Bad Student" and that is the farthest from the truth.
They just need someone on their side. In our class, we have created that space for our students. Now they feel comfortable with us, we want to give them the same opportunity as their peers. We believe in them.
My Project
It has been said that music soothes the sole. In my classroom this is absolutely true. My students use music to calm themselves down when they are upset or anxious. It also helps them to eliminate distractions. Having headphones in the classroom will provide them with a way to calm down without disturbing other students around them. They also block out distractions in the room. Music allows them to put focus back into their work so they can be successful at school. Headphones also allow my students to access auditory learning through our reading program which allows students to listen to stories.
My students are noticeably more engaged in their work and less disruptive of their peers when they are given a choice to listen to music with headphones.
Unfortunately most of my students are unable to afford a good set of headphones. With the funding of this project, I will be able to provide headphones for use in the classroom. Music provides a comfortable learning zone where they can feel good while in school. It sends them to their happy place.
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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 Ms. Elliott and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.