Social Emotional Learning Through the Fine Arts

Funded Nov 13, 2023

The printer that was donated has made a significant impact in my classroom by allowing me to change and print documents for class use immediately instead of waiting a couple of days for the front office in a completely different building to print it out. It dramatically impacted my workload in the same manner. It was motivating for students to know that we can easily access any photos or pictures for inspiration in our projects and are now able to print them out when the project permits.

The handheld sewing machines have been a great exercise in independence and problem solving for students that were in my fiber arts club. Because the machines are fairly simple, it's amazing to be able to hand students the manual and build some confidence in life skills like fixing knotted strings or rereading instructions so they know why their machine might not be working. They were able to create pouches to hold their tic-tac-toe games. I will also be able to share them with another teacher who is running a Life Skills club.

The Posca markers are the biggest hit! I use them primarily for my drawing club so they last longer and are seen as a privilege. The basically work like paint in a marker form and we don't use acrylic paint in class so these markers make them feel like they are advanced enough to use a special materials. They are way more vibrant than normal markers and students love seeing their artwork come to life when they are given an opportunity to use them.

All of our donated materials have had a clear and obvious impact in what we are able to do in class, but most importantly they make my students feel seen and they are able to understand that their education has worth.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Ennis