Our Calming, Peaceful, Classroom Safe Space

Funded Nov 28, 2023

Thank you so much for helping us create such a special calming corner in our classroom. When the students first saw the space they ran over cheering and screaming with excitement. They laid down on the bean bags and said this was the coolest space ever. Some even said this is my first time sitting in a bean bag! They were so cute and wanted to all play uno and cards with one another. Even students who are not normally friends. The students have loved hanging out with one another or calming down in this space as they have made it their own. Watching them learn to regulate emotions, make new friends, calm down on their own, destress using the liquid sensory bubble toys, fidgets, stress balls, journals, and anxiety helping coloring books has been eye opening to me to see the progress students have made. It has given them a safe space and a place they can come to even during lunch or breaks. This space has allowed them to turn off the outside stresses of life and be able to have the ability to come back and engage and learn in class within a safe environment.

The students have loved coloring in their anxiety coloring books when they are stressed or emotional. They have been able to regulate emotions writing in their interactive "Filing My Jar" journal. It was actually very cute, one of our students put in positive notes in one of the jars for students to find and read when they are having a bad day. I have included a photo of this. I have seen students who are not normally friends or hang out with one another come together in this corner to play cards with one another or connect four. Especially one student who was new and had no friends, she comes in at lunch because she does want to be alone. Another group of girls asked her to come sit with them and play uno. She has not left their side since. I have seen students who normally do not speak up, go over and sit in the bean bag chairs and use the fidget/pop-it's and while using them begin conversations with me. I did not realize they could destress a student enough to make them feel less anxious to be engaged in class. It's been such an amazing experience to see. Students who I never see reading actually will now use the books I have gotten them for our class library and will come in at lunch and read comfortably in the bean bags. I think it gives them a cozier feeling under the tree and in a comfortable space that feels like home.

My students and myself are so appreciative of your generous donations and the amount of gratitude we have for you is indescribable. You have helped build a closer community just inside this classroom. You have given my students a space they can call theirs when some don't even have their own rooms at home, or a home in general. A place to safely read, get their thoughts out, destress and calm down, so they can actually have the opportunity to learn and fully engage and concentrate without worrying about the issues outside of school and other traumas they are going through. I hope you know through this heartfelt thank you, that you have made a huge difference for these students and your act of kindness will be cherished by myself and the students. I hope to continue this space each year and contribute more to it seeing how beneficial this space has been. Especially in allowing my students to have class time to learn and concentrate to be able to succeed, without the weight of the world on their shoulders and preventing them from learning with the outside noises/issues.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Hubbard