Sensory Paths
Issued
2021 - 2022
Type
Classroom Tools
Amount
$1,605
Applicant(s)
Michelle Adler
Description
Cottonwood would like to better support our students
who have sensory needs; we are asking for the funds to
make and create a wall that will benefit our younger
learners for years to come. According to Sager (2021), “.
. . there’s been an increase in focus on the sensory
needs of students, thanks in part to increased research
into the topic. It’s estimated that as many as 1 in 6.25
American children have some sort of sensory processing
issues, and integrating sensory-directed activities into the
academic day is a means to help them develop
everything from their motor skills to the way they think."
It's possible that nearly 60 kids would immediately benefit
from a path like this, although countless others would
also have opportunities to utilize the path when they need
a break, too.
I’ve seen sensory paths in some of our local elementary
schools. These paths allow students to focus on
movement and patterns while remaining in the school,
getting some needed energy and wiggles out while
staying safe. As noted in Study International (2019),
“Sensory paths let young students hop or tip-toe through
floors, or lean into walls with their hands, but more than
an outlet for kids to let go and hang loose, they serve a
much broader purpose. Many schools have found these
colorful, interactive pathways – which are typically made
with stickers and can be found in hallways or on walls –
as platforms that allow students to release stress and
cope with different emotions,” (pp. 2). As one of the
district’s Title 1 schools, Cottonwood has a student body
where 20% of students qualify for free and reduced
lunches. These students often come with few pre-school
experiences, so they are learning how to be a student in
Kindergarten. They are often wiggly, needing more
outlets for their energy. Many of these students continue
to need safe spaces for their energy that allow them to
focus while staying safe and not taking up large chunks
of time. Sensory paths, placed on the carpet or the wall,
give students a structured routine for getting those
wiggles out. Cottonwood is seeking to place a sensory
path in the long hallway that splits the kinder classrooms
from the first grade. This hall is also used by the FAA
kids. With paras monitoring, students can be given
several minutes to explore the sensory wall – pushing on
squares, jumping up to reach things, counting flowers,
touching letters to type their names, and space to move
their bodies. This hallway is not a thoroughfare except
during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up, meaning
students can use it without interrupting the flow of traffic
in the building. Because we have carpet on this hall, the
decals will be adhered to posterboard or heavy duty
cardboard and attached to the walls. That will allow us to
move them to other places if we see a need, adjust the
height for the students, and take them entirely off the
walls when they need painted.