Sensory Learning Centers at Washington School

Washington Primary School teacher Alyssa Mastrantonio’s kindergarten/first grade students are on a roll. Through sensory learning centers, students building and developing their skills.

The youngsters rotated through letter tracking, pattern and pasta sorting learning centers.

At the letter track center:

• Students used Expo markers and Etch-e-Sketches to practice writing letters.

• “Writing on the Etch-e-sketch makes writing fun and sensory friendly,” Ms. Mastrantonio said.

At the pattern center:

• Student used pom poms to make different patterns.

• Using pom poms engages the senses and gets their hands moving,” Ms. Mastrantonio said.

At the pasta sorting center:

• Student sorted three different types of dried pasta into three separate bowls.

• “Sorting is a great skill to have for life skills students and this center helps improve fine motor skills as well,” Ms. Mastrantonio said.

Ms. Mastrantonio obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at Binghamton University in 2021. She earned a Master of Science degree in childhood education-learning disabilities grades 1-6 at CUNY Hunter College.

The Huntington teacher was very involved on the Binghamton campus during college. She captained the women’s club basketball team, served as the fundraising chair and later president of the Association for Applied Behavioral Sciences and was a member of the Education Minor Steering Committee, responsible for creating new courses for the academic minor and coordinating events.