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Ms. Spencer from Norfolk VA is requesting sports & exercise equipment through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Safe Space = Success!

Help me give my students bean bags, weighted blankets, noise canceling headphones, fidget toys, stress balls and other therapeutic resources to create a safe space in my room that promotes healthy self-regulation.

  • $592 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Celebrate Black Teachers and Students

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 am a Behavior Specialist that supports students from Pre-K to fifth grade that are determined, energetic, and passionate about learning. My school is classified as a Title I school as most of the students reside in an economically disadvantaged community. The students are heavily impacted by negative environmental variables however their resilience is inspiring.

The students are eager to learn new skills and strategies to communicate effectively, safely express feelings, demonstrate care and concern for others and themselves, effectively problem solve, listen attentively, practice assertion, manage conflict and control impulses.

In fact, the students volunteer each day to attend my social skills groups to learn more skills. I observe the students on a daily basis, actively utilizing tools/strategies during instructional periods that I have provided them with to self-regulate such as journals, self-assessment checklists, and calming strategy cue cards. The students have also increased their use of staff supports to assist them with issues that they are experiencing. I am truly amazed at their ability to identify and implement positive alternatives to improve their mood and behavior which ultimately results in success!

My Project

In addition to providing social skills groups, it is imperative that my students are afforded a safe space equipped with strategic tools to practice effective coping skills outside of their classrooms to elude behaviors that are harmful to themselves and others. It is paramount that the students know that they can visit a safe space in which they will be fully supported and provided with tools to assist them with de-escalating safely.

The resources that I am requesting will assist each student with successfully managing stress, anxiety, anger, and frustration.

The books such as “Percy Gets Upset” and “Sometimes I’m Bombaloo” will help illustrate how practicing coping skills are beneficial in terms of mood regulation which ultimately affects how they act and react to difficult or upsetting stimuli. The Mindful Monkeys card deck will offer creative mindfulness games, visualizations and exercises to help my students feel grounded, find calm, improve focus, practice loving-kindness and relax. The weighted blankets, noise canceling headphones, and fidget/sensory tools will aid the students with specifically reducing stress and anxiety resulting in positive calming effects.

The “Confident You!” coloring book will work as an empowerment agent providing affirmations that will improve the student’s sense of self which will lead him or her to make positive choices. The “Angry T-Rex” coloring book will serve as a fun, interactive medium to identify anger triggers and ways to overcome anger to keep calm and replace negative feelings. The bean bags will provide comfortable seating to the students while they are practicing strategies to success! The Bluetooth speaker will be used to play soothing music to create a calm environment in my room and for guided meditation to increase self-awareness while reducing negative emotions. These resources will assist my students immensely with remaining safe, practicing self-regulation and becoming empowered.

Ms. Spencer
Grades PreK-2

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Spencer is requesting.

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total
Melissa's Weighted Blankets MADE IN THE USA (5lbs Child Size) NAVY 10 varieties of Fleece and Flannel combinations available in 27 different size and weight options Small 48" x30'' • Amazon Business $59.99 2 $119.98
BeanBob Bean Bag Chair for Kids - Foam Filled Bean Bag - Bedroom Furniture & Sofa for Children, 2.5' Steel Grey • Amazon Business $42.90 2 $85.80
IRIS TB-17 Stack & Pull Box, 19 Quart, Clear, 6 Pack • Amazon Business $39.99 1 $39.99
Kick Bands Chair Bands for Kids - Alternative Flexible Seating Classroom Supplies for Elementary School - ADHD Sensory Fidgets for Classroom Chairs - Fidget Band by Solace (10-Pack) • Amazon Business $27.99 1 $27.99
OontZ Angle 3 Enhanced Stereo Edition IPX5 Splashproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Volume Booster AMP 10 Watts Power, Custom Bass Radiator, 100' Wireless Range Bluetooth 4.2 • Amazon Business $25.99 1 $25.99
Noise Reduction Ear Muffs, Tacklife NRR 28dB Shooters Hearing Protection Ear Muffs, Adjustable Headband, Noise Cancelling Headphones for Kids and Adults - HNRE2 • Amazon Business $9.97 2 $19.94
Fidget Toys Set, 16 Pcs. Sensory Tools Bundle for Stress Relief and Anti-Anxiety for Kids and Adults, Marble and Mesh, Pack of Squeeze Balls, Soybean Squeeze, Flippy Chain, Liquid Motion Timer & More • Amazon Business $16.95 1 $16.95
Colorful Kinetic Sand - 6 Pieces Magic Sculpting Squishy - Perfect Gifts Kids, Stress Reliever, Learning Tool, Novelties, Party Favor Bag Supplies • Amazon Business $15.99 1 $15.99
TANGLE Set of 3 Jr. Original Fidget Toy • Amazon Business $13.20 1 $13.20
Stress Balls Puffer Stress Relief Toys Value Assortment Bulk 1 Dozen Stress Relax Toy Balls, Squeeze Ball Puffer Ball Assortment Most Popular Selection of Hand Exercise Balls & Therapy Balls • Amazon Business $12.99 1 $12.99
Self-Calming Cards • Amazon Business $12.95 1 $12.95
Teach Peach Assorted Motivational Stress Balls, Fun Fidget Toys Kids, Teenagers Adults, Perfect Unique Gift Idea, Green 3 Pack • Amazon Business $12.95 1 $12.95
Mindful Monkeys • AKJ Education $10.94 1 $10.94
A Volcano in My Tummy • AKJ Education $10.91 1 $10.91
Confident You! Coloring Book for Children: Fun Drawings with Encouraging, Positive Statements to Improve Self-Esteem • Amazon Business $7.99 1 $7.99
The Angry TRex: Color Me Calm Kids Coloring Activity Book to Relieve Anger, Stress and Anxiety: Kids Self Help Workbook with Tips, Tricks, Ways to Be Happy and 70+ Large Coloring Pages • Amazon Business $7.99 1 $7.99
Go Fish Catch & Release your Anger • AKJ Education $7.99 1 $7.99
Sometimes I'm Bombaloo • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Percy Gets Upset • AKJ Education $5.07 1 $5.07
Angry • AKJ Education $4.96 1 $4.96

Materials cost

$465.67

Vendor shipping charges

FREE

Sales tax

$0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$6.99

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$502.66

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$88.70

Total project goal

$591.36

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

$591.36

6 Donors

-$278.21

Donations toward project cost

-$266.18

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$12.03

match offer

-$278.21

Match offer toward project cost

-$236.48

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$41.73

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$34.94

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

$0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

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