Past projects 4
Quiet Time for Busy Bodies
Funded Sep 27, 2024Thank you for your generous donations. I am thrilled to be able to offer quiet activities for my students to balance out the busyness of learning throughout our day. These activities will enhance my four-year-olds creativity and imagination while allowing them to work mindfully in a relaxing atmosphere.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Culbertson
This classroom project was brought to life by * Education Foundation of Sarasota County and 3 other donors.Read To Me
Funded Feb 28, 2023Thank you so very much for the donations so that I could purchase headphones, books and CDs. The kindergarteners have enjoyed using the headphones for not only the listening station but for the computer center as well.
The books have been fun for the kids to read along. They love the headphones; they offer a consistently clear sound that enhances their learning without frequently complaining they cannot hear what the speaker is saying.
These entertaining books and headphones will be enjoyed by many kindergarteners each year as they are being read to.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Culbertson
Take a Seat
Funded Nov 2, 2022With heartfelt appreciation for your donations, I thank you for helping us make our classroom more inviting with flexible seating the kids love to sit on. Our kids and classroom have gone through changes as we recovered from Hurricane Ian not long after this school year started.
We missed a few weeks of school and could not enter our room for another week when we returned to school. Fortunately, the seats arrived not long after we got back into our classroom.The kindergarteners were thrilled to see the wobble chairs and the soft seating pads. They immediately took to sitting on them. Many kiddos said, "I love these seats!"
They have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to have a choice of flexible sitting during their work stations. It is beneficial to our five- and six-year olds to be able to sit and move their bodies in different positions. They are so happy to not always be stuck in a chair. The kids can settle in to learning while being comfortable and allowing them to move their bodies staying engaged in their activities.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Culbertson
This classroom project was brought to life by Education Foundation of Sarasota County and one other donor.Busy Bodies, Curious Minds!
Funded Jul 27, 2018Thank you so very much for the donations. It is a natural thing for kindergartners to move their bodies. However, sometimes, they move a little too much! Our new school tools have helped the children focus their brains and calm their bodies. While we are reading a story, creating shapes in math, or working together in a whole group setting, my kids are using their school tools.
We read a story about a boy that needed special tools to use when he felt a little out of control. We made comparisons to how they have felt during class time and things I might say asking them "sit still" and "be quiet". This story helped make sense of why using the balls, the weighted friends, and hand-held "fidgets" help them move their bodies, while allowing their curious minds to listen and learn. At this time, the kindergartners are taking turns using the tools if they wish. They choose to use them as we are in a large group, reading together, or when we are
learning together in a whole group on the rug. We also have shape-shifter stretchy bands to make shapes with our bodies.
There are some students that are the primary users of the weighted friends (named Peanut and Spots) or the balls. They get a safe feeling in the class that...it is alright if they move while they learn. This is essential for the kids in my class that are curious and busy. While working with children, we need to appreciate their need to move as they are learning.
Sincerest thanks for making this possible.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Culbertson