My students are my heros. They work hard each and every day to learn the skills that you and I do without a thought. I teach students with special needs. Three of my students are full time life skills program students. This means that they attend my class for the majority of the day. The others are out in the general education population but receive services from me to support the skills they are lacking.
Students in my classroom are energetic and eager to learn even when the going gets tough!
My life skills, program that is housed in my room, is designed for students who are graduating via IEP rather than the traditional credits. They recieve a specialized curriculum to assist them with daily independent living and life skills. They still attend all core subject in my classroom however, we put a spin on it and focus on what they will need to know in life.
The students in my classroom spend a lot of time in the same room with the same group of students however, I have already seen a difference in their daily living skills and independence. I am excited to see where they will go!
My Project
Students need to be able to move and fidget while they are learning. By asking students to sit in a chair for hours on end without a break besides one to two minute brain breaks, we are setting them up for behavior problems as well as disengagment in lessons.
By having stability balls instead of chairs, students are able to move ever so slightly and have the comfort needed to be able to focus.
In my classroom, I have the a group of students that love to move. Currently, I let them stand at their table instead of sit because the majority of them can't sit for more than a few minutes at a time. By having the stability balls, my students are more likely to stay engaged and focused. This in turn, will make a difference in students' learning and will show improvement in their overall academic performance.
There will be ground rules put in place for the stability balls however, students will be able to roll back and forth or lightly bounce on their stability ball as long as they are not a distraction.
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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 Ms. Vale and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.