Potter Jr. High teacher is raising funds for special education students

Chloe Shaver

Writer

Sarah Jimenez, first-year special education teacher at Potter Jr. High School, is raising funds to purchase a class set of ukuleles for her students to use. The instruments will allow her to reinforce critical skills that her students are learning: social and emotional responses, basic math, spelling and English, and fine motor skills.

Jimenez has been teaching special education for eight years and currently teaches a class of 11 moderate to severely disabled students. The majority of these students are nonverbal and use alternative communication methods. Students currently have personal glockenspiels to use to create music; however, Jimenez's personal ukulele is a favorite in the classroom. Students often lose interest in their own instruments and want to use Jimenez's instrument; she believes that by giving each student their own, they will be able to focus more on the skills being taught rather than the instrument being used.

Songs and music are already being used in her classroom. With over 50 songs available for her currently, she is able to sing and play music designed to help students better understand the world around them. By involving these children in playing their own instruments, they are developing fine motor skills and better understanding the lessons being taught. These songs range from simple melodies, such as 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,' to simple melodies with lessons ingrained into them; for example, the melody of Jingle Bells along with a simple phrase, such as the alphabet or counting.

Her students are already showing leaps in developing their skills from music. Jimenez's students all look forward to music time, and many of her nonverbal students sing throughout the day, using the songs they have been taught. Students proactively seek out the instruments, which can sometimes be the only way they participate in learning the entire day. Even students who otherwise show no engagement, pay incredible attention to the musical lessons, and can replicate the songs by memory. "They just light up when they're playing music, and it's really amazing." Jimenez said.

The DonorsChoose donation page has been active since late August, and will remain open for donations until Dec. 22. These special education students wouldn't be able to participate with other students in general electives, such as choir, band, or art. Jimenez plans to continue her musical lessons for other special education students to allow them to participate in an elective that they can succeed and grow in. These disabled students are gaining confidence and coming out of their shells, an opportunity, Jimenez said, that is due to the music that has been brought into their classroom.

Additionally, with the project funded, Jimenez will be able to obtain more songs for her students to learn. With a greater variety of music, she will be able to give students more personalized music to help develop the skills they most need to work on.

The link to the DonorsChoose site is https://bit.ly/3oqsAxk.