Past projects 4
Movement for the Mind
Funded Aug 14, 2024Thank you again for your generous donations. My students were very excited to see and utilize our new classroom items. They couldn't wait for me to open up the packages to see what was inside. Their eyes lit up to see new manipulatives and seating.
Students are utilizing the new cube seat and spin seat. They are remaining in group time better with the boundaries of the cube chair. The cube chair also offers varying heights for my shorter/taller students. Students who could not stay seated for up to 5 minutes are now sitting for 8-10 minutes or longer. Our new spin seating allows sensory input for my students that are sensory seeking.
The fidget manipulatives made them the happiest of all. They love utilizing the new objects during transition times, when waiting for friends to join in large group, when walking to and from bathroom, gym and outdoors.
Again, I would like to thank you for your support and generosity. My students will be enjoying these items for years to come.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Trembley
This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.Look, Listen and Feel Your Way to Learning
Funded Mar 4, 2024A huge Thank You to all who contributed to helping my students enhance their pre-academic literacy skills. My new books will benefit all my students, but I truly wanted to focus on enhancing my most challenged learners, my little ones that range from 1 year to 3 years developmentally.
In the past, my most challenged learners would basically just be in attendance of story time read alouds. They wouldn't have a way of connecting to the story due to cognition and communication delays. They would have an adult nearby trying to gain their attention, but it was extremely difficult. With our new hands-on learning books, story time takes on a whole new look. All of my students are now actively engaging in the story time activities. When I read the stories, I am able to give children the opportunity to press buttons that make noise or flip flaps to see a surprise behind it or feel the textures to help them with comprehension of certain concepts (soft, smooth, etc.). I am also able to create visuals for my students. The visuals allow students to demonstrate concepts such as matching, and answering questions with the visual choices.
Our new stories, that you all helped provide for us, allow my students who otherwise would not be involved in early literacy, the opportunity to engage in learning and enjoy story time better than they ever had in the past. It is such a wonderful feeling to see the joy in all of the students faces. Thank you again so much!!!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Trembley
This classroom project was brought to life by The Dalio Family and 7 other donors.Let's Have Fun With Our Hands
Funded Jan 18, 2024What a wonderful surprise my little ones received when I began opening boxes of the new items for them. Many were very inquisitive and curious. Some asked about the items, others just observed. When new sensory materials were put into a center, some higher level students immediately began to ask questions. "What do I do with it? How do I use it? They were modeling great language for their peers.
The items are exciting and new. Since introducing them, students have been very engaged with the new manipulatives and although they are age ranged for students with a lower developmental level, my higher level students are finding creative ways to use the materials. An example of this: using dump trucks and pots & bowls to collect toddler manipulatives. They are coming up with creative scenarios in play. My developmentally delayed students are remaining in a play center for a longer period of time because the manipulatives are more appropriate for them. They are safe if they put them in their mouths, they are colorful and enticing and fun.
This has also been true of the cube chairs. No sooner were the cube chairs out of the boxes, students couldn't wait to use them. They have already become such an integral part of our classroom in such a short period of time. The chairs have helped many of my developmentally delayed students stay in a chair, sit for longer periods of time during an activity and stay better engaged in an activity with less direct support from an adult. The chairs give students boundaries and make them aware of their body in a space.
My next step is to continue to build on my sensory library for my students. The sensory library will help to enhance literacy skills and numeracy skills, in addition to their communication and social/play skills, all in a developmentally appropriate manner. I will continue to utilize the materials you all so generously helped us obtain and will continue to help my students grow to the best of their ability while they are in my care.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Trembley
Let's "Get Down" to Learning
Funded May 23, 2008We want to take a moment to thank you so much for your generosity. It takes special people to contribute to the needs of others they do not know. We are so appreciative for the music and movement supplies. Music and movement activities seem to overcome the disabilities many of the students face. Through music and movement, the students come together and for a moment, forget their challenges. We have done our best with the supplies we currently have, but now we will be able to offer a more diversified approach to learning in which students of all ability levels can feel comfortable and safe. The smiles on their faces during an activity with our new supplies will show their gratitude. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts!!
Mrs. T's Kindergarten Clas”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Trembley