Help me give my students the opportunity to learn by doing that will nurture a more self-determined, purposeful, independent and self-sustaining young adult.
The central theme of each Individualized Education Program (IEP) for MY students, in this special education Language Arts classroom, is to develop the skills to lead a self-determined life, a life of purpose, independence, and the freedom of choice. To support my students' growth in self-determination, each lesson I teach embeds opportunities for students to effectively communicate and emphasizes the importance of sharing the learning experiences that happen each school day.
The focus in this classroom is on growing each student's self-confidence to become more independent thinkers and learners.
I work to create a classroom environment where everyone belongs, where everyone feels valued, supported, safe and where everyone contributes to the learning process.
This classroom works daily to not only learn the facts and concepts through reading and writing, but we also work to experience the facts and concepts, with hands-on, real-world learning experiences. This allows students to process and manipulate activities as simple as following directions to understanding the main idea of a reading passage.
My Project
Historically, gardening has been taught from generation to generation, as a means of survival and subsistence living. Traditionally, gardening was a part of the American education curriculum "We must teach children how to make good choices as consumers, good decisions as policymakers, and how to lead a healthy lifestyle that is sustainable. ... Sometimes to move forward we must look back. (USSGA, Soldiers of the Soil, Hayden-Smith, R. (2007). However, many students who live in urban, inner-city environments, like my students, have never experienced planting a seed, nurturing and caring for the seed, and harvesting food that they can eat and enjoy.
The Learning Garden: LEARNING BY DOING Project in our special education Language Arts junior high classroom, will provide an opportunity for engaging students in hands-on learning activities that will be incorporated into the subject matter and the learning process.
These students will engage in a project that is based on relevant, meaningful learning that off-sets the daily pressure of standards-based learning. The students will learn the importance of reading and understanding information about the food they eat, how healthy fresh garden food can be available to anyone, and how to make real-life, healthy food choices. This project will provide a foundation for life-long learning about healthy choices. The Learning Garden: LEARNING BY DOING project in our classroom will provide a valuable educational experience for student learning in the special education junior high school classroom.
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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. Leslie Skaggs and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
