Special Needs Drumming Emotions Through Music: Empathy & Equity
Help me give my students the opportunity to express their feelings, grow their talents "passion in drum circle, exploring, embracing their cultural roots, and bring empathy" equity to our classroom through music.
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
Our school serves students in grades Pre-K-5th and provides strong academics, creative teachers, and a safe learning environment. We are a low-income, Title I school. We use seven habits of happy kids and growth mindset. This, combined with the emphasis on academics, has ensured that our students grow to become well-rounded, successful, and happy students. My little students are the youngest of Pre-K, 3’s. We are blended gen ed and ESE special needs.
In our classroom, we are a diverse group of learners who come together as a family, supporting each other, and learning together.
"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." -Ignacio Estrada.
My students understand, no matter what their exceptionalism, their possibilities are limitless.
These special students require teachers to draw from their heart to reach each student emotionally, thereby gaining their trust to encourage them academically. One needs to create a safe and loving classroom that allows students to be comfortable to challenge themselves to meet the high learning expectations. My students have the ability; they just need to find it within themselves, to become lifelong learners.
My Project
In my classroom, we use music as our passport to explore ourselves and the world we live in! My students always get excited when we sing, dance, and play instruments. Through music, we open windows to the cultures of our peers and those around us. We learn about each other, building empathy for others. Music also gives us a way to express ourselves. It gives us a way to understand our feelings, accept our feelings, & express our feelings, this is so very important with scholars of Special Needs.
This project will allow my Special Needs students to have the multicultural musical experiences that a drum circle can offer them with empathy and equity in education.
The sight, the sound, and the feelings gained from drumming are tremendous motivators for students. Drum circles give the opportunity for students to work together and create a magical, energetic, & expressive sound. Giving each student a chance to find their musical voice and blend it together in harmony with their peers.
When we are all in harmony together, dancing, singing, & playing, my students get to experience that amazing feeling that comes from the music of our family, our classroom family & the music of the world around them. I want to be able to give my students through music a lifelong source of emotional outlet, comfort, joy, and strength.
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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. McCarthy and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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