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
My students come from a high poverty area and many face struggles at home and at school. Many are from single parent homes or live with someone other than a parent. They are doing their best despite their circumstances.
It is my goal as their English/Language Arts Teacher to give them a classroom setting that is both welcoming and primed for learning.
Our school is located in a high-crime area and many students live near the school. My goal is to always encourage their success, no matter what they have going on in their lives.
My Project
My project is focused on specific sensory issues that I've found create learning distractions, or learning obstacles, in my classroom. The classroom set of headphones will allow all students to use the audio/visual resources on their individual devices simultaneously while not disturbing other students. The fluorescent light filters help create a more calming "natural" light in the classroom which will help students with reading and alertness as well as cut back on issues like headaches or migraines, and sensory overload for students with ADHD and autism. The desk bands give students that choose a desk to sit at a bit more movement which will keep them focused for longer periods of time and increase their productivity.
Although I request students to have a pair of headphones or earbuds on supply lists every year, more than half of my students are not able to meet this requirement.
I have attempted to buy inexpensive earbuds for my classroom, but these are easily broken and misplaced, not to mention hard to keep sanitary. The use of headphones will greatly increase my ability to differentiate learning to a wide range of individuals and give them the opportunity to direct their learning at their own pace. It will also greatly reduce the sound coming from other areas of the room that will be distracting for students with attention disorders.
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 Mrs. Heather Bradway and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
