I am a teacher in a school for students with severe to profound mental challenges. My students are faced with many obstacles both in and out of the classroom. Despite these many challenges they usually come to class with smiles on their faces. My job is to keep my students engaged and provide them with creative and meaningful learning experiences that are age-appropriate.
My students are creative, clever, and very spontaneous.
They like to move and love lots of positive attention.
There are things that may prevent my students from getting ahead early in life and may not provide them with the life experiences many of us see as "typical". From the minute they walk in the door of my classroom, I focus on their potential and growth while they are with me. By doing this in a creative and positive way, I am hoping to inspire even our earliest learners to continue on a path of academic excellence.
My Project
Bringing the parents into the school environment and seeing what their children are capable of doing is always a great opportunity. A family paint night is a way to bring the community into the school and let our parents be a part of the educational process. I will be teaching a lesson about color theory and the art of ceramics. Families will learn some art history, science, language arts, and math. Then, they will paint a piece of ceramics with their students.
Not only will a family paint night build memories with a lasting reminder in the finished piece, but it will also be an experience for many parents who have never had the opportunity to work with their students in this manner.
Art connects the hands with the brain and the heart. It is a problem-solving activity. Without the arts, these meaningful skills are lost.
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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. Mazerov and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.