Play Is My Favorite Occupation: Functional Therapy Games
Help me give my students Building Fine Motor Skills games, Zoob, a timer, and more.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Alana Valle's classroom raised $387
This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
I am an Occupational Therapist working with students of all abilities to gain independence throughout their school environment. Occupational therapy within the school setting focuses on helping children fulfill their role as students, supporting their academic achievement, and promoting positive behaviors necessary for learning.
My students are determined to work hard to achieve their goals despite any limitations that might be in their way.
This work is done through the building of fine motor & visual motor skills, developing self-advocacy and self-determination skills, sensory regulation, coping strategies, and so many more evidence-based practices.
Located in the heart of Queens, my students come from a variety of ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. This variety of backgrounds is the reason why NYC is referred to as the melting pot, but however different we might all be we all have at least one thing in common. That is, we are working towards building a more independent life and doing that through the skills taught and learned in OT. A poster hangs in the therapy room for all students as our moto and motivator that reads "In this room, we set goals and crush them!"
My Project
Games are an easy way to motivate students to engage in functional tasks without them noticing the "work" they are doing. Within OT sessions my students always get a game reward to look forward to as part of their session.
Each game is intentionally selected to target skills such as pre-writing skills-building functional grasping patterns, visual perceptual skills, and even social-emotional skills.
Along with the physical skills used in gameplay, there are also so many other skills that are being indirectly targeted. Such as turn-taking, impulse control, and developing social skills. My students would be so grateful to have therapy games to play and be encouraged to participate in sessions.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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. Alana Valle and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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