Classroom Champions: Special needs teacher wants flexible seating for classroom

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - In most traditional classrooms, students sit at their desk or tables, assigned to them.

Now more often teachers are opting to use a more flexible seating arrangement.

Autism and self-contained Dorchester District Two Eagle Nest Elementary teacher Jennifer Jones works with a wide range of learners from K-5th grades.

She says traditional classroom seating can be disruptive and bothersome for students with autism.

She says the hard materials don’t provide students with sensory input, and the sound of chairs moving across the floor can be too loud.

“All of my kids have autism, so they have sensory needs that go with autism. A lot of them are sensitive to noise and textures so sitting in a hard chair does not meet their needs,” Jones said.

For her Donor’s Choose project Jones would like to add flexible seating like a bouncing ball chair, bean bag chair, wobble seat, saucer chair, tumbling mat and room divider.

She says these classroom items will help her autistic students by engaging their sensory input needs and the divider wall will add privacy to avoid distractions, both allowing them to be more focused on instruction.

“It means so much to me for my kids to have their sensory needs met. It would be very helpful to me and my assistants who are always pitching in for our students,” Jones said.

Jones says with these items, her students can have more choices for how and where they would like to complete their work, which will help them continue to grow with more attention and motivation during learning.

You can help get this project entitled “Flexible Seating for Sensory Learning” funded for this DD2 teacher and her students at Eagle Nest by clicking here and donating right now.

All donations are tax deductible.

Donors Choose collects your money, then buys the items and sends them to the teacher.

This ensures that your donation is used for our area teachers.

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