Watch Me Move

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

Imagine reading a story to boys and girls when suddenly you hear, "plop", "ouch" only to look up and see that a student you just spoke to about staying in their assigned area is now sprawled on the floor. He just can't control or help how fast and often his body likes to move.

I have the most amazing boys and girls that attend a very high poverty school which also happens to have a high mobility rate.

The student body is diverse but predominately of latino background. Many of my students come to school wanting to be ready to learn despite the fact that they have delays and difficulties with learning. Beside giving them the best learning opportunities that I can provide for them, I also tend to their emotional needs as well. Sometimes their emotional needs consist of concerns of not being accepted by friends because they appear to be "different". I always remind that everyone is different and that everyone learns differently. Sometimes we need special learning tools that help our body to be able listen better while still being able to move. I try to encourage my students to love themselves no matter what.

My Project

My students need to channel all their energy into a direction that will not only allow their peers to learn in the classroom, but most importantly, allow themselves to learn as well! Providing sensory tools for their hands to be busy while learning is just the beginning. The chair bouncy bands will allow my students to feel pressure that is needed for their bodies to register their need to move their feet. They will be able to bouncy their feet on and off the bands in the comfort of their own seat. The foot roller is another sensory tool that could be used for the students that simply are seeking a rolling need for their feet. They will roll their feet back and forth while working independently, listening to instruction, and/or working with friends. There are times when the classroom lighting heightens our students whom are sensory sensitive and need a calming affect to help relax their bodies which in turn reduce some of the hyperactivity in students.

Imagine having all these amazing sensory tools to create a cozy and calming ambiance for students who struggle with learning in the first place and then have difficulty controlling all the movement their bodies are doing when they are trying to learn.

My students will not only feel hopeful about learning but will be even more excited when they realize that they were able to listen and learn while having tools to help their bodies stay busy.