A Great Teacher Never Stops Learning!

Funded Sep 29, 2022

I can't begin to express how much your support of my project, "A Great Teacher Never Stops Learning!" has meant to me and my students. While I knew that I would learn a lot about bringing Social Emotional Learning and Yoga to my 3 and 4 year old Special Ed. PreK Classroom, I never could have imagined the transformational journey that we have undergone. Every day in my classroom is a little bit brighter and kinder thanks to your generosity.

I started the year by teaching them "3 Collective Breaths". It was helpful to breathe together to begin and end our day, during transitions and before nap time. I also taught students to use breathing when they were upset. I'll never forget when I saw one student approach an upset classmate and put his hand on his belly and tell him "Respira." (Breathe in Spanish).

Many of my special education students struggle to express themselves and that struggle manifests in many challenging behaviors. One student in particular often screamed, hit, bit, scratched and spat at herself and others. Three calming breaths have been instrumental in getting her to control her emotions. At our latest parent teacher conferences, her mother shared a video of her daughter using the breathing techniques I taught at home. She was so grateful for the progress her daughter has made this year.

And that's just the impact of breathing! The students love the yoga poses and "mat time". What is most exciting to me is that I will teach many of these students again next year when they are 4 years olds and I will be able to deepen our journey into yoga, breathing and social emotional intelligence.”

With gratitude,

Ms. La Plume