I teach special education elementary students at a Title I school in Arizona. My students all have special needs. I have students with many different disabilities including Autism, Orthopedic Impairments, Visual Impairments, and Intellectual and Emotional Disabilities.
Most of the students at my school live at or below the federal poverty guidelines, and school funding in Arizona is at an all-time low.
Because of this, obtaining extras is next to impossible. It is only because of Donorschoose.org that I am able to provide my students with new and engaging materials and supplies.
My Project
Many special needs students have sensory needs during their school day that can begin to interfere with learning if they are not addressed. Having sensory equipment available can address these needs in a positive and fun manner. Couple that with increasing their fitness and activity level, and having active sensory equipment can make a huge difference in a child's ability to learn and be successful at school.
Sitting at a table and trying to stay focused is a very difficult task when your body begins to wiggle and you lose your ability to concentrate.
If there is no outlet for students with these sensory and vestibular needs, frustration will begin to take over and the entire learning opportunity can quickly turn into a negative experience. With sensory equipment like this trampoline and the AquaPods, my students will be able to calm their bodies when needed, and then continue back with full concentration. This will not only make learning more fun, but it will increase their fitness and activity level as well as help them learn body management techniques that will help them later in life. Couple these pieces of equipment with some visually stimulating equipment like the interactive lava volcano and the plasma ball, and we will have a sensory space like no other!
Having specialized equipment that is made to meet the sensory needs of special needs elementary students would make it possible for my students to enjoy learning in a positive and fun environment.
They will begin to learn and understand that there are ways to fill the needs of their bodies by having the opportunity to explore and manage this wonderful sensory equipment.
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 Ms. Bravo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
