Mrs. McGuire's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 8

• Distraction-free Learning Centers for Special Needs Students

  Funded Jan 22, 2025

  Your generous support has given my students freedom to select their own toys and books to play with throughout center time. With your help, we used the curtains and rods to mimic cabinet doors. They can be pulled closed to cover the items to minimize distraction or pulled open to give students freedom to select an item to use.

  It's been wonderful to watch the students learn how to follow the red and green light system. They're working on peer interactions, social skill development and listening skills. When the "light" is red, the bookshelves are closed and the students can't help themselves to toys or books. When the "light" is green, students have the freedom to browse and select what they want to use.

  It's been great for the students to work on patience, waiting and listening skills, following directions and making choices.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. McGuire

• Sensory Books for Special Education Pre-K Students

  Funded Jan 22, 2025

  Your gift has given my students the chance to hold and manipulate books independently, in centers and during structured "reading" time. My students are free to squeeze, touch, bend and even mouth the books and this is such a wonderful gift for sensory-seeking special education children.

  My students didn't know that they'd be allowed to mouth the books, because typically we have told them not to put books in their mouths. However, we have them a special container with these books and they know they're allowed to mouth and manipulate the books.

  Our next steps will to be to continue phonemic awareness with print-rich books in our classroom. Your support has given my students a chance to feel comfortable in the classroom without restrictions.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. McGuire

• Phonics Sensory Center for Special Needs Students

  Funded Dec 3, 2024

  With your support, my students haver been able to begin to explore phonics through their senses. They have started to use the wooden alphabet discs to trace letters with their fingers, and then try to trace the letter on a white board. To make it fun, we always finish off by trying to write the letter in salt on a tray! It can get messy, but they really do learn best when using multiple senses.

  When they first saw the materials, they didn't know how to use them. It's taken time to practice how to properly use the letter blocks and materials, because we have to teach them how to respect materials, use them properly and then store them when we are done.

  The dot markers have been pure fun for the students to use, even when they splash paint on themselves. They have been working on their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, peer interactions and basic communication skills when using the dot markers. For the holidays, they each created a dot marker snowflake to give to their families as a gift. It was so great to see them use the materials, complete a project and have pride in their work.

  Our next steps will last throughout the year with these materials. We have introduced 6 letters so far, and will continue to introduce one new letter each week throughout the year. We will continue to practice tracing the letters, forming the letters and writing the letters. The phonics center is now a daily activity in our classroom, thanks to your generous support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. McGuire

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 3 other donors.

• Sensory Support for Special Needs Students

  Funded Nov 13, 2024

  My students have been using the resources you helped purchase every single day. The chew necklaces have been incredibly helpful for my special needs students. Typically, they put everything in their mouths (edible and inedible) to satisfy the need to chew. That can be unsafe and dirty, especially in a classroom with shared space.

  However, the chew necklaces have worked wonders for the students! They hang around their necks on a safe, pop off chain, and the students keep the rubber chew part in their mouths when they need to chew or regulate. The great part about the necklace is that they don't drop it on the floor or share it with their peers. The students are able to regulate themselves, and stay focused and healthy.

  The monkey foam has been a fun activity for my students. We have used this at a sensory center for students, in small groups. It's been great to work on fine motor skills, attention, turn taking, peer interactions, conversation cues and patience. Each week we rotate the color of the monkey foam so that we can make new and exciting formations with the students, as they work on social skills and fine motor skills.

  Your generous support has directly benefited all of my students, and continues to do so day after day. We are so grateful for your help and appreciate your support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. McGuire

• Special Needs Fine Motor Strengthening through Play Doh Exploration

  Funded Oct 14, 2024

  Your generous donation to our classroom has impacted all 18 of our students. Our students all have special needs, including week fine motor skills. They receive occupational therapy to strengthen their muscles and coordinated movements, but they still struggle.

  With your help, our classroom now has a special Play Doh exploration center. The students can select play doh colors, play doh cutters and tools and letter mats to make their own creations. They love playing at this station, and are unaware that they are not only having fun, but also strengthening their fine motor skills.

  For next steps, we're going to introduce shape mats and shape cutters to the center, as well as play doh cutting scissors and rollers. These fun tools will provide opportunity for play and mastery of important skills such as cutting, hand-eye coordination and holding a crayon correctly. Thank you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. McGuire

• Class Library for Special Needs Pre-K Students

  Funded Oct 3, 2024

  Your support has made such a difference in our classroom. My students were beyond excited when they saw all of the books, especially Pete the Cat!

  We're using The Spot books as our social emotional curriculum. We introduced the first book today, and talked about the different types of emotions that we can feel. The students held the SPOT squishies and passed them around. It was a great opportunity for practicing social skills at school.

  The next steps for us are going to involve the SPOT books with our Fall theme. We're going to have each student decorate a pumpkin to express the current emotion they are feeling (anger, happiness, sadness, etc.) Then we will display their artwork in the classroom, and continue to use it as discussion tool for social emotional

  Skills and communication.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. McGuire

  This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Foundation and 5 other donors.

• Communication Boards & Tools for Special Needs Students with Autism

  Funded Aug 23, 2024

  My students are learning how to communicate using the communication boards and visual pictures. It's a learning process that takes time, but they are excited about communicating through the boards.

  At first, they thought the pictures were toys. They pulled them on and off the velcro tabs, flipped through them and didn't understand their purpose. However, with practice, they are slowly learning that each action we make can be represented by a visual cue card.

  We are using the communication boards for our daily visual schedules, as well as "FIRST -> THEN" boards. Meaning, first they do a non-preferred activity such as handwriting, and THEN they do a preferred activity such as play doh or recess.

  Since communicating through visual pictures takes time, and my students are young, this project will last all year long. Gradually, my hope is that we can move on to using multiple picture cues with each child. Even further goals are to have the students use them to communicate with each other.

  Your support has made it possible for my students to begin to learn how to communicate, many for the first time in their lives.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. McGuire

• Sensory Play for Students with Special Needs

  Funded Aug 10, 2024

  My students are absolutely loving the sensory play area in our classroom! We have used water, kinetic sand, bubbles, shaving cream, play dough and rice in the tables. Their favorite activity so far was rubber duckies in the water table!

  My students started jumping up and down when they saw the sensory table, and couldn't get to it fast enough. They need sensory stimulation and exposure to different tactile surfaces in order to grow and thrive in our classroom environment. Your generous donations have made that possible for each and every one of my students.

  Our next steps with the project are to continue to use the sensory tables as stations in the classroom, for children to go to and explore when they need sensory stimulation. It is our hope to incorporate the sensory table into classroom holiday celebrations, as well as continue to use it in every learning.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. McGuire

  This classroom project was brought to life by Valhalla Foundation and 3 other donors.