I share my days with an eclectic group of young adults, some of whom are preparing for the world, learning to apply work skills in the community, while others are learning to count to 10 and cope with sensory overload. In the face of their differences, they carry a fresh sense enthusiasm for learning and surpassing even the highest expectation.
The individuals among my six classes are as diverse as the day is long- There are two things, however, that bring them together, the intellectual disability they were born with and their ability to reach for the stars, in spite of that.
Our school is located in what used to be the home of several flourishing factories. The days of a steady paycheck in a thriving town have since diminished leaving our community with limited opportunities of employment and a slew of dilapidated homes. Unfortunately, I cannot say that the socio-economic status of my students is the only challenge they face. I can however say that when they enter my classroom each day, I am determined to create an unwavering sense of comfort, to ease them of distress, and focus on the skills needed to create a brighter future.
My Project
As teachers, we are continually striving to make school more enjoyable for our students, with the hope of them waking up each day elated to come back. Like most, my students encounter challenges day in and day out leaving them feeling frustrated and full of uncertainty, especially with the addition of a challenging new math curriculum. Increasing leveled math supplies to our classroom will carry new opportunities for my students to feel and be successful. Not only does tactile learning have the ability to build a deeper, more individualized understanding of math, it makes it fun! Currently, we are using items found in our classroom, sensory beans and cotton balls to name a few, and even with those- I can see the light bulb flickering when the students are “playing” with a new concept.
Students of all ages and abilities enjoy seeing math transpire in their hands.
Due to the cognitive disabilities that most of my students have, they process better when they can see and hold a concept versus listening to a lecture. Adding math manipulatives and activities to our classroom would allow all levels of my students to have a chance at creating, learning, and applying new ideas.
Several of the items I selected would be the perfect way to display how skilled my students are, despite not being able to answer verbally. A large portion of our new math curriculum focuses on real-life application; providing access to “real” play money would help students differentiate amounts and learn how to add various values. My students are eager to learn, adding math materials to our classroom will only enhance that!
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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. Rudolfi and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.