My students are inquisitive, motivated, and excited about learning. They work hard and are dedicated to their education and their teachers.
They are members of a Title I school in Maine with over 30% of them being from refugee Somali families.
We have English Language Learners that operate with a wide range of abilities, fully integrated into the general education classroom. Because of their low socioeconomic status, all students receive free lunch and fresh fruit and vegetable snacks, while some bring home bags of food for their families on the weekend.
In order to bridge the gap, our school has employed multiple guidance counselors and social workers to meet the needs of our students. We have also implemented an Extended Day and Extended School Year Program where students have access to further learning with regard to social/emotional needs, as well as enrichment and STEM activities. Teachers with no classroom budget spend money out of pocket to provide students with essentials like winter coats, hats, mittens, and school supplies that their families can't afford. In our school we definitely live by the motto "It takes a village" to raise our children.
My Project
My third grade classroom is made up of readers varying in ability. We have non-readers all the way to above grade level. In order to make them feel most successful, I have started collecting multiple reading levels within my classroom and sorting them into bins for student choice as opposed to the school's book room that only teachers have access to.
There is nothing more powerful for a struggling reader than being able to access fun and exciting new book titles that you are able to read.
It is fun to look at covers, explore the pages of illustrations and text, and compare titles on your own. With these book bins, they can make their own choices instead of working with a book room choice their teacher made that attempts to interest them and their other reading group partners.
With these extra book bins, I will have enough space to sort all the reading levels I have accumulated in my classroom. The rolling cart will host our leveled library and we will have some additional book bins so that each child has their own bin to store their individula reading choices.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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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. Derouche and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
