Past projects 2
Help Students With Severe Disabilities!
Funded Apr 30, 2017The portable magnetic boards have given students in our class the ability to engage with academic work throughout the day. Students use one of the large magnetic boards to check-in in the morning. They record their attendance and familiarize themselves with the transition from home to school- likewise at the end of the day from school to home as a checkout from class. Another large board is used to implement the Zones of Regulation, a system for our students to discuss their feelings throughout the day. The third large magnetic board is used for students in lessons to record expected behaviors and unexpected behaviors to stay on task. As well, using fair and unfair visuals to engage with current and past social justice cases help students use the board to discuss social justice issues. The small magnetic board is used as a rewards chart. Students sorted themselves into Hogwarts's houses and get points based on their expected and unexpected behaviors.
The Check-in/Check-out boards in conjunction with the Zones of Regulation board increase student engagement with their surroundings and feelings. Previously it was difficult for students to recognize transitions from home to school. The check-in/check-out boards give students predictable and routine chances to track major changes in their day. As well, the Zones of Regulations board allows for students to gage what they feel on the inside. Students are guided through self-talk techniques to learn more about their feelings. Students interact with the Zones of Regulations throughout the day as their feelings change.
The boards used to track and understand expected and unexpected behaviors not only allow students to have a concrete object to interact with, but it helps to bridge the gap with the abstract notions of classroom rules- which may differ from what our students see at home. The expected and unexpected board is predictable and helps students remain on task. As well, the House Points board, which is aligned to our lessons on Harry Potter, is a fun way to use reinforcements in class. The winning House is given reinforcements at the end of each day, week, month and semester.
These magnetic boards are helping our students engage and interact with their surroundings, as they have never done before. Our students enjoy coming up to the board to check-in to class and out, they are interested in how they feel, and want to display good behaviors to win house points. The boards also allow for our students with various levels of motor-skills to interact. The boards are utilized in a way that students in our classroom can engage with them at their level. The boards are visually appealing in that students see their pictures, or house points and want to interact with them. The boards have an auditory component that is within the directions given to the students or from student response to questions. These boards increase kinesthetic interactions in the classroom, as students must get up and move to the board and engage with it. Lastly, the boards provide a tactile experience as students move their pictures form home to school, or they write their house points. The boards have helped our students engage with the learning environment in tremendous ways.
Thank you very much for your donation, our kids truly appreciate it!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Fleming
Give Students Who Are Non-Verbal the Tools Needed to Communicate!
Funded Mar 13, 2016Dear Donors,
I will never be able to fully thank you for your donations and support. When I created this project I assumed it would take me several months to fully fund it. I never imagined that with your support and the support of DonorsChoose this project would be fully funded in less than three days!
Technology plays a critical role in my classroom and in the lives of my students. Most of my students are non-verbal, and are unable to read and write. Putting technology, such as an Ipad in their hands instantly gives them access to picture based communication, real life visuals, and chance to grow not only in their academic life, but also their personal life. Using an Ipad provides the students with material that could never be shared with them by using books or handouts. Ipads provide a more vivid interactive experience that promotes learning in a fun realistic setting.
In the past, my students would have to each wait for their turn to use the computer during lessons and many times having one stationary desktop computer did not allow enough time for each student to have an interactive experience. Now with the four Ipads in the classroom, we are able to have them set up at our tables giving each student multiple chances to use them. One specific lesson we have had great success with was learning about the solar system. With the Ipads, students were able to watch videos, play games in which they compared the size of the planets, and using the touch screen feature to put the planets in order.
If I had to pick the greatest aspect of the Ipads in my class, it would be the mobility and access the Ipads give my students. My students have a wide range of disabilities, some are in wheelchairs, some have limited use of their hands, but all of them in some way are able to use the Ipads. The Ipads are light weight, with a long battery life that provides instant lessons and activities inside the school, during school functions and on field trips.
Thank you again for making such a huge difference in the lives my students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Fleming
This classroom project was brought to life by #BestSchoolDay and 15 other donors.