Teaching young children has always been my passion. Their curiosity and sense of wonder about the world makes my job fun! Our school district serves close to 8000 students while my individual classroom serves 30 students ages 3-5 years old with a wide range of abilities.
The classroom demographics consist of students considered to be "at-risk," students with identified disabilities, as well as students whose native language is something other than English.
Many of the students I work with and their families are living at or below the poverty line. I also have many students and families who are new to the United States and have very little. We are living in a state that cannot pass a budget to fully fund schools, which in turn impacts my students. I spend what I can out of my own pocket to provide my students with valuable learning opportunities, but I can only do so much before it starts to impact my own family.
My Project
To the average person, compression and pressure on one's body might be an uncomfortable feeling. However, to some, this gives them a sense of relief and gives them the ability to maintain their focus in an overstimulating environment.
In the preschool room, we are constantly trying to find ways for our students with sensory processing difficulties to self-regulate in a sometimes chaotic environment as well as provide appropriate proprioceptive input for little bodies.
The dream chair will provide much needed sensory support for students who require the sense of being snug and tight in spaces. The weighted dog and sensory board help students to focus during large group instructional times when sitting and listening to the teacher and peers might be difficult. The cuddle loop and body sox both provide calming, deep pressure proprioceptive input for students to learn motor planning and body awareness. All of these tools aid in the child learning how to self-regulate their emotional behavior.
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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. Overstreet and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.