Therapeutic classroom helps students learn social-emotional skills

When Williamsburg Community School District administrators became aware of a grant to fund a therapeutic classroom, they jumped at the chance to bring one the district. Mental health is not always taken into consideration when talking about educating students and the therapeutic classroom is a space that offers social-emotional education.

Social-emotional education is teaching kids self-control and self-awareness in the classroom. These skills can mean the difference between a student who has problems in the classroom and a student who thrives in the classroom. Collaborating with the State of Iowa Department of Education, Grant Wood AEA and Williamsburg School District administrators, a grant of $70,000 was awarded the district to create the space.

General curriculum was not designed to fulfill the growing need for social-emotional education and one-on-one coaching for students. Creating a therapeutic classroom, is a way to offer that type of education. Located at Mary Welsh Elementary, the therapeutic classroom has stations and tables to work with the students and many educational tools to teach a variety of techniques for coping with day to day life. One-on-one instruction for social-emotional education is essential for students having difficulties in the general classroom. Teaching students how to manage difficult situations can help them stop problematic behaviors and succeed in the classroom.

Brent Zirkel, principal at Mary Welsh Elementary, explains how focusing on developing social-emotional supports can help kids manage stress caused by life situations and trauma. Educational tools like the therapy room offer a holistic approach to education by teaching stress reduction and coping skills. Students focus on different strategies to calm themselves and talk about their struggles.

Currently, the Therapeutic Classroom serves 26 student and has room to accommodate up to 30 students. Unlike standard classrooms, the therapeutic classroom does not hold lessons for groups of students, each student is given a time in the classroom to work. Students who are identified as in need (with guardian permission) they are assigned a tier, based on a three-tier system. Each tier has a specific set of guidelines that determine the activities the students perform and time spent in the therapeutic classroom.

Half of the students are in general education and half are in special education, giving equal opportunity. While in the room, a staff member or school counselor will begin working with a student, who will also receive coaching by Jennifer McKinney, recreation therapist.

The room is equipped different educational games, sensory/stress relief toys, stationary bikes, a swing and quiet spaces.

Additional grant money has been awarded to the district to keep the program going for the next two years.