We were one of a handful of donors for this project. This is Mrs. Thommason's class at Jefferson Elementary School in Massac County, Illinois.
Here is the project in her words.
My students need collaborative desks to promote tolerance in the classroom as well as collaboration.
My Students
A day in my classroom is a day filled with learning, respect, and hard work. My school is in a rural area, and the students that I teach come from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Our class motto is, "In this room, we don't do easy.
We make easy happen through hard work and learning!"
I have high expectations for my students and do everything in my ability to help them achieve their goals! I enjoy planning creative lessons and projects as much as my students enjoy working on them!
My Project
In my third grade classroom, students work on many group lessons and projects, and through the course of these lessons I teach my students many life lessons. I teach them it is O.K. to make mistakes because that is how we learn, but it is disrespectful to make fun of those who give a wrong answer. I teach my students how to work out conflicts within their groups peacefully while making sure that each voice is heard. I teach them how to work together and to stand up for one another. I teach my students to be tolerant of one another so that they then know how to be tolerant of others in the world around us.
Teaching kids how to interact and exchange ideas while being mindful of their language and behavior toward others is crucial to the future of our society.
Our students need to know how to express differences but still be respectful. By using our new Neomove collaboration desks, students can easily pair off in small groups of 2, 3, 4, or 5. The desks move easily, which will make changing groups for various activities a breeze. By learning how to work with one another in the classroom, students will then know how to work with others in their future communities and workplaces.
