Did you or anyone you know ever struggle as a reader? My students are fourth and fifth graders however, they are reading at first and second grade reading levels and unfortunately, they struggle as readers every day.
I teacher 13 students that are part of a 4th and 5th grade self-contained class in New Jersey.
They are special education students with different types of disabilities. The school that they attend is a Title 1 school. A Title 1 school is one with a high concentration of low-achieving students and students living in poverty. The purpose of the Title 1 program is to ensure that all children, regardless of their situation, have the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education by providing additional academic services and programs. These students are sweet, kind, loving, energetic and eager to be able to read like others in their grade. They often lack the confidence they need to become a better reader because the books that are made available to them are too difficult.
My Project
My students need books to choose from in the classroom that are on their level in order to learn how to read. It is a dream of mine to get my students to become better readers, and in the process, have them develop a love & passion for reading. Unfortunately at this time, my students do not have the selection of books on their level that will help them achieve this goal. It is vital that students master the skills at each reading level before advancing on. Because my students are in fourth and fifth grade, they have mostly a fourth and fifth grade book choice. However, they are not yet reading at a fourth and fifth grade level. My vision for this school year and future years to come is to provide my students with books at their level that will help foster a passion for reading while at the same time, develop the skills they need to become better readers. On some of the reading levels, I have chosen two sets. With 13 students and 5 books to a level, my students will not have to wait for books on their level to be available. They will be able to read books that are just right for them, everyday.
Without a strong foundation of reading skills, my students have and continue to face many challenge.
It is nearly impossible for them to perform well in math, science, social studies and writing if they are unable to read and comprehend the directions. With your help I am confident that my students will grow as readers and in the process, have more faith and confidence in themselves. These kids are eager to be better reader. They want to learn how. They just need the tools to do so.
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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. Finan and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.