Using the Teacher Grant for Innovation award, Ms. Cheek will install a sensory path in the hallway of Big A Elementary School for the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students. Sensory paths incorporate movement such as jumping, crawling, spinning, bending, animal walks, and skipping, which help children build connections in the brain that are responsible for touch, sight, and sound. These paths also allow students to release excess energy, unblock the neurological gridlock that can occur in their brains, and reduce sensory seeking behaviors that can have a negative impact on their learning in the more structured classroom environment.
