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
I teach an early childhood special education classroom in a school district in a low-income neighborhood. Being a self-contained classroom, it is low in number but high in need for support. There can be up to four students enrolled in this classroom, each requiring adult assistance to get basic needs met.
Each child that enters my classroom are delayed in several domains.
Students that enter this classroom are often delayed in their verbal skills, self-help skills, physical skills, and cognitive skills. Children learn through basic sign language, songs, movement, visuals, and play.
My Project
This project will provide my students with books, a support kit and tools to help them develop social-emotional skills such as naming emotions, emotion regulation skills, and tactile learning experiences to explore personal emotions.
Learning social-emotional skills is a part of every preschool curriculum however in an autism classroom, teaching these essential skills is crucial.
In many cases of autism, especially in the caseload within my classroom, students are non-verbal and struggle with cognitive delays. Students know that they are feeling some sort of way but do not know what they are feeling or how to express those emotions. Expressing emotions often gets demonstrated through crying, hitting, spitting, and screaming; causing young children distress and confusion.
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. Meinert and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.