This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
I once heard a child say, "I thought I was poor because my family would hunt and eat squirrels and possums, but after hearing a storyteller, I now see I was not poor. I was rich because I had a culture." By hearing a storyteller share stories, students can learn to appreciate from where they come.
My precious students are from lower middle class families where the parents are mainly Hispanic and speak Spanish at home.
The children are bilingual and are so smart and well behaved. Their parents send them to this public school clean and dressed appropriately because they have a passion for them to learn and be all they can be. A couple of years ago the city closed the neighborhood library. Our school is our students' main connection with new ideas. The programs we bring to them are the only presentations these children hear. I want to give them everything! I want them to have experiences they will always remember from their childhood. The students are very articulate and can express their feelings and connections with the books they read. They are willing to share their thoughts. They lack experiences that they can build upon and make connections with in the future. I am seeking to expose them to a storyteller so they will know that they too have stories to tell.
My Project
I am requesting a very well known, award winning storyteller. I have heard her before and she is wonderful. She will present six sessions, one for each grade level throughout the day.
Research shows that children who make mental images when they read are proficient readers. I have been teaching my students how to make a mental image when reading. Research has shown that people who make a mental image when they read enjoy reading and those that do not, do not enjoy reading. There is a connection there! Many adults do not know that some readers make mental images when they read. They do not even know that this strategy is something good readers do. I am seeking ways to show children how to make a mental image. I think storytelling is an excellent way to evoke their imaginations and create an image in their minds. Teaching students to make mental images is one way to help children grasp the abstract and make it concrete in a way that increases their reading comprehension.
Storytelling and listening to stories is a cultural experience that modern day children do not often experience.
Experiences, validation, self-worth, self-esteem, making connections with the world are all strengths that can be tapped through storytelling. People only learn something new by making a connection with something they already know. We can only imagine the impact this may have on future life experiences and how they will reach back to connect with the lessons they will learn today.
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. Sloan and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
