This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
First grade is the year students are expected to make the most significant progress in learning to read independently, and the best way to accomplish that is by having students read as much as possible! The problem? Sitting alone on the floor in the reading corner is not very appealing!
At our Pennsylvania public school on the edge of an urban center, my students' favorite time of day is literacy centers.
They can choose to read to themselves, read with a buddy, work on writing, practice words in an art-and-manipulative center, or listen to reading on a CD or computer. Most of these centers have an intrinsically motivating element to them (working with a friend, using hands-on art supplies, or engaging with technology); however, the reading corner, where students read by themselves, lacks pizzazz. This makes it hard to encourage students to choose "reading to themselves" as a center, even though it is one of the most important things for them to do each day! And since my classroom is made up in large part of English language learners and socioeconomically disadvantaged students, it is crucial to motivate my students to read independently and often.
My Project
When talking to the students about what they wish we had in our classroom library, they mentioned some book titles to start. However, the discussion quickly turned to how uncomfortable it was to sit on the hard, cold floor. But imagine how inviting it would be to have pillows and child-sized couches to curl up on while enjoying a book by yourself! My students don't want to spend more time sitting at their desks; centers is their chance to choose a comfortable working spot all around the room. The problem is that right now, we don't have many cozy spots right now. I know that if I fix this seating problem, my students will be flocking to the reading corner in no time!
A classroom should be a welcoming place where students are comfortable enough to put all their attention towards learning.
With only straight-back chairs and desks and the hard floor as seating, my students often avoid tasks that require a lot of sitting still, like independent reading practice. With your help, I can transform our reading corner into our room's most inviting spot by providing comfy seating options! Soon we'll need a waiting list for the independent reading center!
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Taboada and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
