My students need 12 iPod shuffles to help them complete their high school reading requirements and assist their academic growth by reading great literature.
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.
My Students
"I love my job! Why? I am a special education teacher, this September I'm "moving up" to the high school level. Although I just have a desk in an old gym, my day will consist of moving from class to class, helping the students on my caseload, along with whomever else in the class who needs help. Fun!
I teach children who experience learning disabilities in the great city of Chicago.
Of the total 1450 students, 88% of our students are classified as low income. Our student body is 21% African American and 72% Latino. The reality is, my students are poor, learning challenged, and some, face a limited English language vocabulary. We all know that this situation is tough. But, this is America. Heck, who would have predicted that America would elect an African American to be president in 2008? Hooray!
My Project
Do you recall the required reading each of the four years of high school English? I recall it being tough, but stimulating. I also recall that feeling when I was not prepared. Did this ever happen to you?
Well, the great majority of my students don't even have a chance of ever completing the novels expected of them since they experience a visual reading learning disability. So, that "unprepared" feeling is constant.
I'd like to change that. Would you like to be a part of this plan? I want to have available, at my desk in the old gym, an audio library of novels downloaded to my laptop. Students can come into my area and request a novel to be downloaded to an ipod shuffle. They can sit at or near my desk, they can go to the library, they can sit in our beautiful outdoor courtyard and listen while reading along with the novel. Having 12 shuffles available for the students to access will enable me to allow the students to take the shuffles home to read.
I will also read the novels and be there to assist in translation, connections, vocabulary, and comprehension.
I will purchase the novels from an audio site at my own expense. All I need is for a few generous sponsors to purchase the 12 ipod shuffles.
The current graduation rate at my new HS. is 70%. Maybe you and I can only make a dent in this challenge. But, I believe that even keeping one teen in school is worth the dollars required to fill this grant. What do you think?
More than three‑quarters of 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 Ms. O'Gorman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
