Help me give my students an iPad they can use to access calming apps that will help them regulate their bodies when their emotions become overwhelming.
My students range in age from Preschool to 4th Grade. We have approximately 435 students at our school which is based on an Indian Reservation in Montana. A great number of our students come from a low socioeconomic status, but they come to school ready to learn. Our students are unique individuals with their own strengths and weakness.
Many students struggle with the ability to regulate their emotions appropriately due to various stresses that they have endured.
This stress often leads to increased behaviors in the classroom which can become disruptive to other students making it difficult for them to continue learning. Our school has been integrating sensory tools and strategies to help increase student self regulation which, in turn, will decrease disruptive and distracting behaviors. There is no greater joy than seeing a student work through a difficult time and then being so proud of themselves for managing their emotions independently.
My Project
This project will provide me with an iPad and smart keyboard that students may use to connect to apps that will help my students strengthen their emotional self-regulation skills. Apps such as Calm, The Zones of Regulation, Headspace, and Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame can help kids learn about their complex feelings and identify what they look like. They also introduce activities kids can try to self-soothe and calm down, but they also promote asking for help, too.
As a School Counselor, my goal is to help my students learn to cope with change, and also to understand their sensory needs and emotions.
Anxiety is an emotion that can creep in at anytime and any place. I want to teach my students to utilize some of these resources as a way to help them understand their emotions, think outside the box and cope with changes in their sensory needs when anxiety and stress start to creep in. The apps listed above will be an excellent resource for children to learn healthy ways to express themselves and decompress.
Self-regulation is an important skill for students of all ages. Students need opportunities to calm down and participate in activities that will help them self-regulate. Ultimately, the goal is to impact all learners within the classroom by enhancing the learning environment and increasing individual academic and behavior successes.
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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 Mrs. Young and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
