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 am the reading teacher at a charter school in the South Bronx. I teach pull-out classes of 5th who struggle with reading; my students begin the school year reading significantly below grade level, and my goal is to work with them to improve their skills so that they can succeed in the mainstream English class.
Last summer, several DonorsChoose donors generously provided my students with a library of audiobooks. The success of these audiobooks has been phenomenal; my students clamor for daily time with their books on tape. I have seen such progress during the year in their language and literacy skills; their vocabulary, reading fluency, and comprehension have all improved. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, their attitudes towards reading have improved dramatically. Many of them have truly begun to love reading, thanks to the books on tape.
However, we have run into technological difficulties with using the audiobooks. Until now, I have been buying cassette players out of my own money so that my students could listen to their audiobooks. Unfortunately, I am only able to afford the cheapest players, and they seem to continually break or have problems. In addition, the demand for audiobooks use has far outstripped my small collection of cassette players. I presently have 28 students using the audiobooks, with an identified waitlist of 24 and more in the wings.
With this proposal, I am asking for 30 new personal cassette players that my present and future students could use for the long term. Obtaining these new cassette players will allow me to replace the ones I have that are broken, and offer the audiobook experience to students who are waiting.
I strongly believe that reading is the most important skill one can have in life. Regular use of audio books has been so helpful in improving my students' reading skills. With new cassette players, I will be able to continue to offer my students the help they need to become lifelong, proficient readers.
Thank you very much for considering this proposal.
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
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 Ms. Lankenau-Weeks and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
