My biggest hope as a special education teacher is that each of my students will grow up surrounded by a positive community and participate in meaningful work.
Our school is home to about 300 students in a high poverty, inner city neighborhood.
Our school is highly mobile with almost 20% of our students experiencing homelessness. Despite the challenges that our students face, they are incredibly resilient. The students that learn in my classroom all have low incidence disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, Intellectual Disabilities, and Down Syndrome. Their vivacious personalities, zest for life, and boldness are a huge part of our school culture. They do not let developmental delays or poverty get in the way of their learning. While my students learn academics, our classroom also has a clear focus of independent, job, and daily living skills. They need explicit instruction in these areas to become as independent as possible. I truly LOVE my job as their teacher and cannot imagine teaching a different group of children.
My Project
The requested items look random, and more like items found in your average living room rather than a classroom. Trust me, there's a method to this project! We are requesting items to assist my students in building independence in the areas of job skills, daily living skills, and ultimately, independence. We are requesting a paper shredder, cleaning wipes, and an electric broom to give my students early experiences with tasks they will likely encounter at a future job. We are requesting toothpaste and disposable cups to have the materials necessary for my students to become more independent in brushing their teeth. When we can integrate these tasks into daily life for my students, I am certain they will thrive.
By donating to this project, you will be supplying the crucial building blocks needed for my students to have a meaningful future.
My students are so, so capable of being independent adults, but in order to get there, we need to start NOW! Thank you for your consideration in supporting my deserving students.
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 Mrs. Szczecinski and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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