The school where I am teaching is an academically successful, rural high school that is filled to the brim with about 900 wonderful students. We serve our military community by educating students whose parents serve or work at the USMC and Naval facilities at Camp Lejeune or Cherry Point, the two Coast Guard stations, and/or Bogue Air Field.
I teach many students across all grade levels as the only art teacher serving my high school, which includes the beginning, intermediate, proficient, and advanced art students with an average of 24-28 students per class as well as serving as my school's National Art Honor Society adviser.
This project will be directly associated with our beginning and intermediate art students while proficient and advanced students will have the option of using the hat looms as well if they so choose. I have three beginning art classes scheduled for next year and two intermediate classes with classes averaging 24-26 students. The hat looms will remain in the art room for years to come so that many future art students may use them as well when learning about and experiencing fiber arts.
My Project
I have been teaching fiber arts to my art students for over 25 years. While many high school art rooms have moved into focusing entirely on the fine arts, I still feel it is important to introduce students to handcrafted items, particularly utilitarian forms. We recently received funding for ten hat loom packs. We are asking for another ten so that an entire class will have the opportunity to create their own knitted hat.
Nearly all my students enjoy creating a functional piece, but I have really noticed that the kinesthetic learners that often struggle in other classes get an opportunity to really excel with the hat loom project!
Many of my students in the past have purchased a hat loom set themselves when our class is working on our fiber arts unit, but some students that are financially challenged often miss out because of not being able to afford the loom.
Several students with special needs are mainstreamed into the art classes so this project would also go to benefit students with special needs.
Support of this project would allow for all of my students, regardless of their financial stability to be able to participate in creating their own knitted hat.
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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 Mr. Stouffer and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
