My students are in kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade. They are young and energetic. They enjoy play-based learning, hands-on activities and anything to do with Pete the Cat. They love, love, love to move! In fact, most of them learn best through movement. They spend part of their day in my special education classroom and the rest of the day in class with their peers. In my room, I strive to provide my young learners with engaging instruction in a comfortable, fun environment. I want them to enjoy learning, feel good about themselves, and reach their full academic potential.
My Project
My students have disabilities that make learning very difficult. They struggle to gain academic skills, pay attention and stay in their seats. Unfortunately, my classroom is full of traditional hard, plastic chairs. I constantly remind my students to stay seated and sit correctly in their chairs, knowing that this is often impossible for them. Besides one standing desk, I have no other options to offer them. This is frustrating for me and my students. I know what they need but I do not have the means to give it to them.
Through this project, I am hoping to give my students alternatives to traditional classroom chairs.
Alternative seating allows students to sit actively, improving their engagement and participation. Not only have I read about alternative seating, but I've tried it with my students. We borrowed a wobble stool and ball chair from another teacher to try out in our classroom. The results were unanimous!! These special seats are WAY better than our hard, plastic chairs and we would LOVE to have some of our own. I noticed the difference, my paraprofessional noticed the difference, and, most importantly, my students noticed the difference. With wobble stools, ball chairs, and seat cushions I can stop constantly telling my students to sit down and sit appropriately. I can give them the tools they need to sit safely, pay attention, and learn.
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