Mr. D.'s Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 3

• Focusing on Multi-Sensory Mindfulness

  Funded Sep 17, 2022

  Thank you so much for all the gifts that my students and I received from you after you so graciously funded our "Focusing on Multi-Sensory Mindfulness" project. The room where I provide services for my students used to be noisy, cold, and institutional but due to the items , it has turned into a quiet and warm space where the students are able to focus on their minds, bodies and emotions which is very impactful to students whose social and emotional development has been affected by factors from home and at school.

  As I work with my students to help them regulate their emotions and behaviors, they now have a safe and calming place to relax. The LED fiber optic curtain and the LED chair give the students a distraction and helps them to focus on something other than their troubling emotions. The LED aquarium is the all-time favorite. It has changing LED lights, colorful plastic fish that float up and down the four-foot tube and the sound of the bubbles and the motor have a calming and mesmerizing affect. It is the same for the kids and the adult as well!

  I have also been able to start a library with the books about compassion, mindfulness, empathy, resilience and as well as. small game area where students can learn about positive affirmation, focused breathing using the breathing boards, mindfulness, and meditation.

  Thanks to your donations, my students look forward to using my room as their calming area to help them identify their emotions and to learn positive ways to control them as well.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. D.

• Let's Get Physical: Say No to Anxiety and Stress!

  Funded Aug 12, 2021

  Thank you so much for the support that you have given my students. They were in complete shock and awe to see the equipment but even more so, they were confused. Many of my students have never see a balance ball or resistance bands before and when I let them experiment, they had so much fun. Especially with the balance ball. They had a difficult time maintaining their balance and they continuously kept rolling off the ball which erupted in loud laughter from the kids.

  The items that were donated have helped transform my room into a calm, soothing environment with the diffuser emitting a wonderful fragrance, and cool looking led lights. Along with meditation, mindfulness and yoga, the items are used for calming the mind and the body. In a short time, I have already had students ask me if they could just "chill" in my room or come "work out" until they are able to focus and rejoin their class again.

  I am going to start teaching my students about the rules and expectations about the use of the equipment as well as how to use it all in an age-appropriate manner to avoid injury. The concept is to teach the students how to control their minds and their bodies to relax, stay calm, get healthy and to make good choices for themselves.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. D.

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and one other donor.

• Emotional and Social Change; It's Good for Them

  Funded Feb 15, 2020

  Words cannot express how very thankful I and my students are to have received the gifts you funded for us in our "Emotional and Social Change: Its Good for Them" project. In our current learning situation, with COVID-19 placing so many restrictions on activities we can and can't do with our students, you simply can't imagine the looks on their faces upon returning to the physical classroom and being greeted with their Fun Friday incentives of new snacks and recreation equipment.

  As I work with my students on social skills, particularly with regulating their behaviors that often hinder their academic learning, the bar was set for them to work toward earning Fun Friday for their positive behaviors throughout the week. They've been cooped up at home working virtually for so long, that you can imagine their difficulty in remembering the expectations that have been set for them in the past; with the new students this year, this proved to be even more of a challenge. So, what's one to do?... I gave them a peek at the new goodies you sent our way to entice them a little, helping them reach their goal to attend Fun Friday. Boy oh boy, did that ever work!

  As they tested out the shiny new sporting equipment that was distributed for play (albeit with social distancing guidelines having to be adhered to), the look in their eyes, along with the squeals of excitement would make you think the heavens had opened for my kids. I must tell you, not only have they worked hard throughout the week to earn the reward, they clearly recognized the specialness of their new gifts which was so evident in the way they worked together in sharing the equipment and taking great care in putting them away once that time finally arrived. They boasted about playing with the new "toys" to their other classmates, even going so far as to say "I'm gonna be there next Friday, you'll see!"

  Although seemingly small activities and rewards, students like mine thrive on incentives to help them master the social skills they are desperately lacking. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being a part of this critical process for them.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. D.