My students need access to sensory supports (cushions, lap pads, floor seats, etc.) throughout the day across multiple environments to help them gain the best learning experience possible.
I'm a special education resource teacher. My days are filled with helping students with behavioral needs, collaborating with classroom teachers in helping with students with academic and behavioral needs, and working with students in small groups. One of the challenges that I encounter within my day is meeting sensory needs that many students may have and that may cause behavior difficulties in all environments.
Most of my students have a learning disability, behavioral disability, or sensory needs.
My students are a joy to work with, but, at times, can also be a challenge to work with. Each student I work with has unique special needs. These needs include learning to read, math interventions, behavioral interventions, social skills, and more. Our school is a low income school with lots of diversity. A lot of our students come from low income families, and for some of them, the lunch at school may be their only hot meal. Although our school has these challenges, our students are fun to work with and enjoy learning. You often see them smiling, laughing, and socializing in the hallways. We work hard on building relationships with the students and their families.
My Project
As a resource teacher, I work with Kindergarten - 5th grade students with special needs, as well as support classroom teachers. There is a growing need for all students to have access to sensory breaks or supports in different learning environments. This helps them focus in the classroom and helps prevent or de-escalate behaviors. My students need diverse materials to meet their sensory needs. Alternative seating (Floor Seats, Chair Balls and Wobble Cushions) provides students with choices to help them maintain focus in the classroom based on their needs. The headphones help decrease over-stimulation and excessive noise. The mat and yoga balls can provide deep pressure support for those needing it.
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