I am a kindergarten and first grade special education teacher. My students are very active and energetic! They are always on the move. Between four classrooms, I have 13 students with a variety of special needs. Of those 13 students, eight of them have sensory needs.
My students have a wide variety of abilities, needs, and unique personalities.
They range from EBD (Emotional/Behavioral Disorder) and SDD (Significant Developmental Delay) to CD (cognitive disability). My students require assistance with their academics, behaviors, and social skills. Each of these unique kiddos has similarities and differences from the next, but one thing most of them have in common is a sensory need or sensory processing disorder.
A sensory processing disorder causes the brain to be unable to properly receive information that comes in through the senses. This means that things may taste, feel, look, smell, or sound different(and often uncomfortable or painful) than it does to the average person. This affects my students in a variety of ways. I have students who are unable to sit still; they are jumping, running, and rolling on the ground all day long. Others cannot endure loud noises. Some get overstimulated and distracted very easily.
My Project
These sensory needs cause my students to feel uncomfortable in their own bodies. I have requested items such as a trampoline, sensory table, and pressure pod to help address these needs. Different movements (jumping on a trampoline), textures (sensory table filled with beads), and pressures (sitting in the snug pod) can regulate their senses and help their bodies feel "right."
We use our senses to take in new information. Imagine wearing an itchy sweater or hearing the sound of nails on a chalkboard. You are able to identify things that make you uncomfortable and to avoid them. To a person with sensory needs, avoidance is not so easy. Typically the things that affect them are considered normal, but for my students, certain clothing materials could be painful to wear and sitting still could be unbearable.
My kids struggle in their classes because their bodies do not feel "right." With the use of these resources, they will be able to regulate their bodies which will help them focus and succeed in their classrooms.
With these items, I will be able to create a sensory room.
This is a safe environment for my students to unwind and be comfortable. This sensory room will help my students in a variety of ways. Their sensory needs will be met, thus increasing their concentration and focus, improving their mobilization, and helping them communicate more efficiently. Most importantly, every child should feel safe and comfortable when they are at school. With these items, I can ensure my students do.
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