My students need a clearly defined area for circle time, complete with a rug and organized materials.
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Hayes's classroom raised $540
This project is fully funded
My Students
Chairs are for grown ups! When you're 3-5 years old sitting on the floor is ideal! Not only is sitting on the floor fun, it is necessary to be able to do in order to enter kindergarten, as circle time, story time, and instruction all take place on a carpet or "class meeting area".
Our class is a Pre-K for students between the ages of 3-5 with special needs.
Their disabilities differ, but most are placed on the Autism spectrum. We are located on an elementary school campus and are the only Pre-K in the district.
My students have their days, planned full of interventions, assessments and therapy sessions. They are all such little troopers that face great difficulties daily. When they come to school, I want them to be excited and happy. School should be challenging, but there's no reason it can't also be fun!
Despite their disabilities, the students in my classroom are just like any other preschooler. They love coming to school and exploring their environment in hands-on ways. We love music, dancing, and art (especially the messy kind!), but our favorite time of the day is story time! If you were to visit our classroom, you would probably be introduced to our favorite book, "Pete the Cat," within the first five minutes of your arrival (probably sooner!).
My Project
Our class currently does not have a well defined area for circle time and large group activities. As of right now, we move chairs from our tables to a corner of our classroom in order to hold activities that involve the whole class. While we would love to sit on the floor, we have yet to master the ability to sit still in one place without a chair. A carpet with clearly defined spaces for each child will help us to learn how to sit "criss cross apple sauce", and keep our squirmy wormy bodies to ourselves during lessons! This skill will be essential when we enroll in kindergarten, and we can not wait to start practicing!
I have also requested some materials that will help enrich our circle and story times, such as some class sets of musical instruments like the Boomwhackers, and Finger Castanets. We would also be grateful for the donation of a rain stick, as its calming noises help to draw students attention back to the teacher. A white board will also be a great addition to our class.
Students with special needs already face many challenges when they enter kindergarten.
Allowing them as many opportunities as possible to practice the skills necessary for success will only serve to make their educational journeys more magical!
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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. Hayes and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.