I teach a self-contained class of special education students with multiple handicaps and cognitive impairments. They have all had trauma in their lives. Some have dissociative identity disorders. My students are little balls of goodness. They are so much more than their disabilities. They are each special in their own ways with their own quirky personalities. I tell each of my kids that they have a smart part because no one ever tells them that they are smart. Some follow up by asking if they also have a dumb part. I tell them that they are not allowed to talk about themselves in a negative way, but they can have a silly part.
My Project
My students love to learn about the world around them, but they are not often afforded the same opportunities to interact with the world as their general education peers. They are often excluded from learning experiences based on their physical and/or cognitive impairments.
My special education students need exposure to all aspects of life, culture, art, science, and history in order to grow as individuals and learn about diversity and multiculturalism.
These Eyewitness Nonfiction Readers, and the STEM Nonfiction Book Set will allow them to read about diverse and multicultural people, inventions, concepts, and experiences they may not be able to participate in first hand, and the Energy Crisis Project-Based STEM Kit will give them a hands on learning opportunity.
My students come to me with reading levels that range from 1 to 4 even though they are in middle school. They need books that are on their own individual reading level to access the curriculum in reading, history, and science. After reading these books in class this year, each student will be able to take home several high interest readers at the end of the year for summer reading practice. This will prevent the summer backslide and allow them to continue to building their literacy skills. I hope it will foster a love of reading that will help them become lifelong readers.
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. Swan and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.