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Ms. Kefalas' Classroom Edit display name

  • Staten Island School - Civic Ldrshp
  • Staten Island, NY
  • More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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I am a Physical Education teacher in a high-poverty elementary school. Our school specializes in providing a well-rounded education to students who face emotional and behavioral challenges. I have 620 amazing students across grades K-6. They are a very diverse group of students in both socioeconomic status and learning abilities. Many of the students in our school come from poverty, broken homes, single-parent families, and some endure more extreme emotional baggage in a day than I could ever imagine in a lifetime. When my students walk through my door they know they are safe, loved, and cared for. Because of that, my kids work hard for me to become successful leaders. This has been the most challenging and mentally challenging school year of our lives. These mats will allow for students to feel like they have a safe space for Yoga movement and mindfulness both in our gymnasium and outside. Students this year have undergone a great deal of emotional stress, transitioning to full remote learning, then blending learning and returning to school full time. My students showed difficulty focusing and staying on task after working remotely for two years. Their temperaments have also been affected, They are quick to get upset, angry, or emotional due to difficult situations. I am beyond lucky to be a part of my 620 amazing, resilient students' lives! These Yoga Mats will bring normalize back into my Physical Education classroom this school year and school years to come!

About my class

I am a Physical Education teacher in a high-poverty elementary school. Our school specializes in providing a well-rounded education to students who face emotional and behavioral challenges. I have 620 amazing students across grades K-6. They are a very diverse group of students in both socioeconomic status and learning abilities. Many of the students in our school come from poverty, broken homes, single-parent families, and some endure more extreme emotional baggage in a day than I could ever imagine in a lifetime. When my students walk through my door they know they are safe, loved, and cared for. Because of that, my kids work hard for me to become successful leaders. This has been the most challenging and mentally challenging school year of our lives. These mats will allow for students to feel like they have a safe space for Yoga movement and mindfulness both in our gymnasium and outside. Students this year have undergone a great deal of emotional stress, transitioning to full remote learning, then blending learning and returning to school full time. My students showed difficulty focusing and staying on task after working remotely for two years. Their temperaments have also been affected, They are quick to get upset, angry, or emotional due to difficult situations. I am beyond lucky to be a part of my 620 amazing, resilient students' lives! These Yoga Mats will bring normalize back into my Physical Education classroom this school year and school years to come!

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