Past projects 8
Calm Creating
Funded Oct 8, 2024I want to thank you for all that you have done to help us with our project. We have made so many wonderful projects. Taking a break to calm down and complete an art project has allowed the students to start to take ownership of their need to regulate their behavior. This impact has limited the amount of uncontrolled behavior and now the students know if they can hold it together for a period of time they can go to the calming down area and start or finish a project to calm down, once they are calm they come back to do more work.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. D'Alessandro
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org Teen Mental Health Initiative.Color Visuals Needed
Funded Aug 18, 2024Your donation has made a wonderful impact for my students. They now have their schedule printed and put in front of them on their desks. They also have the visuals they need to complete the assigned projects. We have made visual check lists where the students can see step by step what is needed to be completed. This is a way that we can have them be as independent as they can be. It is amazing how we take things for granted and something as simple as a colored picture can really help special needs students succeed in the classroom. Thank you again so much.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. D'Alessandro
Journalism for Success!
Funded Sep 29, 2022My students are working more independently now that they were giving the materials that you donated. My students now can staple and hole punch papers with very little guidance since given the electronic stapler and whole puncher.
The computer is a great addition to the class and some students have made flyers for the school events, holiday dance, jersey day, were pink for breast cancer day, etc.
I am so happy that my students are advancing in ways that they never did before. I know that stapling papers comes easy to some of us but for our students it is a task. Since they can just slide a paper in a machine and it does it for you really boosts their conference.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. D'Alessandro
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.Let's Design
Funded Jul 20, 2021I just want to tell you all thank you. My students have had so much fun designing projects to sell to the staff. We have made shirts and masks so far. We can't wait to make more stuff soon. In the future we want to design coffee cups, mugs, water bottles, and more clothes. We also want to design for the holidays. I know that sometimes we take the small stuff for granted but my students are so happy. They take orders design the item, get approval and then create it. They have learned to take money, make change and take inventory. These are great skills to have.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. D'Alessandro
This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective.Remote Learning Material
Funded Oct 1, 2020It has really helped my students will remote learning. I am so thankful to everyone. Our students were so excited to see the boxes come to their house. It was like they were given a special present rather then items to help them learn. They are now able to do so many activities at home that was not possible before they received these items. One student walked around the house showing everyone what he had received. This made his family very relieved that he can participate in the lessons and is more engaged.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. D'Alessandro
This classroom project was brought to life by EagleTree Capital and 2 other donors.Learning Beyond The Classroom Walls
Funded Mar 27, 2018Having the computers in my classroom has made such an impact on the students. Last year I would print out pictures and have them look at them an point and touch but i don't think they really understood the 2d image. This year giving each student computer time they were able to see the live image and relate it to their lives. I did make a great discovery. One of the students who was non verbal and had very little arm movement was comprehending on a 2nd grade level so we would put up reading comprehension stories on the computer and he was able to shake his head when he heard the right answer. Another student was able to tap on the keyboard and type letters. We even has been able to have a better outcome on testing scores. This was a real eyeopener for me. Seeing what a computer can do really inspired me to have the students have more time with learning the lesson using the computer. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to push my students to achieve a higher level of expedience.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. D'Alessandro
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple.Technology for Special Needs Students
Funded Mar 22, 2016The difference the iPad made in the classroom was unbelievable. My students are non-verbal and have limited movement. During a lesson I had one student us the "go talk" app to communicate to a staff member that she wanted a drink. I used the U.S. money app to teach the students about coins. They were able to match coins and got a feedback right away. One of my students was crying and I put on a feeling app they were able to tell me they were sad and that their stomach hurt. This was a step in communicating with a non verbal student. The biggest impact the iPads made was when I had to do NYSSA testing (alternate assessment) for my students and it is a test on the computer and the students were required to move a mouse and answer the questions. Using the iPad's touch screen and the mobility of the iPad to let the student see the screen then move it to their hand so they can answer was a great accomplishment. This is the first year that I was actually able to allow the student to be as independent as they could be. As a teacher of this population you need to find different ways to teach each student according to their disability, having the iPads allow this.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. D'Alessandro
Traveling Zoo
Funded Jan 27, 2015I want to start by saying thank you so much. People, Including myself take things for granted. My students have never been on a class trip or have been to the Zoo. There only interaction with animals is that on t.v. or if they have a family pet. From the moment Keith (SI Zoo instructor) walked in, the students couldn't stop looking at him. Just having someone new in the class was a big deal for them. He then brought out a turtle, talked about it and walked around going to each student. My students put their hand out and touched the turtle. Next came a snake and a lizard. The students were touching and exploring animals they have never seen before. For the last animal Keith took out a big fluffy white rabbit. My student Ariel almost jumped out of her wheel chair trying to touch the bunny, Ariel love cats and they look similar to her. The students all tried to hug the rabbit. The students had looks on their face that I can only describe as over joyed. To see them vocalized when Keith was packing up, they didn't want him to leave.
As a special education teacher who is always finding ways to get my students to be engaged in the curriculum this was a great experience. This was they moment when you see the learning happen. The students were engaged, happy, and most of all they participated in the lesson. This activity lent itself to so many previous lessons such as being kind and gentile, what do animals need, where do animals live to post lessons such as talking about each animal, which one they liked best, and what did they feel like.
I once again want to thank everyone who took the time out to support our project.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. D'Alessandro