The school I teach at is located in the city of Syracuse, New York. Over twenty-five percent of the students at this school are ENL students from all over the world. Many students are from countries in Africa (Somalia; the Congo; Rwanda; South Sudan), countries in the Middle East (Yemen; Syria; Iraq), countries in Asia (Burma; Nepal) and other countries including Puerto Rico, Bosnia and many others.
The students that I specifically work with are all ENL from grades Kindergarten- Second Grade.
I work with many struggling readers and many students who are below grade-level due to lack of prior schooling. A number of my students come from refugee camps and countries where schooling, either may not have been possible, or the schooling didn't have the resources that we have access to here in the United States. All of the teachers in my school work extremely hard to help these students catch up to grade-level and have successful and bright futures.
My Project
We have never had a carpet in our ENL classroom! The students always come in the room and go right to their seats. Given that we focus on language development, and talking with peers, I think that a carpet is essential to help the students build a great classroom community as they are seated next to their peers. A brand new carpet will help us engage in circle chats, turn and talks with peers, and fish-bowl activities.
A brand new carpet will also give the students a place to sit right in front of the classroom SmartBoard so that they can stay engaged in lessons, come up easily to the board, and share their ideas with their peers when necessary.
A carpet is a staple in any classroom, as it helps the students feel comfortable and provides a space for their full engagement. Hopefully soon my students will come into the room and go straight to the carpet with their peers, instead of sitting isolated from their peers at desks.
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