BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — A Broken Arrow teacher uses a coffee cart to teach her special needs students both academic and life skills.
“Our students are practicing taking money, counting their money, making change,” said Traci Williams. “We’re practicing social skills by taking turns, learning to talk to staff members, manners."
Traci Williams teaches fourth and fifth-grade special needs students at Timber Ridge Elementary School. Just two weeks ago, she started the Friday Coffee Cart program. 8 of her students hand-deliver coffee and hot chocolate to staff members at the school.
“You can see the pride on the student’s faces,” said Williams. “You can see the excitement on their faces. They’re coming out of their shell.”
The students take teacher’s orders earlier in the week, then go door-to-door on Friday morning, collecting payment and delivering the drinks.
“The fun part is seeing their growth,” said Williams. “Seeing how much they’re growing and how much they’re learning.”
Williams says it’s an excellent way to practice classroom lessons.
“We can do all the worksheets that we need to, but this really brings it to life,” said Williams. “This is what makes the kids actually learn how to use the money and how to count the money, the values of the money.”
They serve between 35 and 45 cups of coffee and hot chocolate every week. Almost every staff member at the school buys a cup. The money they collect goes back into the coffee cart to keep the program running.
“It’s increasing their reading abilities,” said Williams. “It’s increasing their ability to teamwork and get along easier with their peers. The most excitement is seeing the kids learn and seeing the excitement on their faces as they’re learning.”
An initial $567.00 grant helped start the program. Williams plans to continue it for years to come.
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