Teaching in the extremely diverse and picturesque neighborhood of Ditmas Park, Brooklyn is a rewarding experience. My classroom is full of eager and excited learners from all over the world who teach me new things every day. These children love coming to school where they grow as readers, writers, mathematicians, and scientists. Our school offers some amazing music and art programs through which our students learn to express themselves in different ways. They take pride in their work and enjoy sharing it with each other and with their families. Many of our wonderful families join us in our classrooms to engage in our learning as often as possible.
The advantages to being part of such a unique and richly diverse school community also come with countless hardships that we strive to overcome together every day.
Many of our students are living in poverty and we have high populations of students with disabilities and English Language Learners. Even with a love for learning, many of our students are reading far below grade level, which often carries over to struggles in writing and math as well. I want to give my students every possible resource to help them reach their potential.
My Project
A big, comfy rug will help me create a warm and inviting learning environment for my 3rd graders. At any given point during the day, there are students working in the meeting area.
Our meeting area is where we come together as a whole class several times throughout the day to build our community and learn from one another.
We begin each day with a "Morning Meeting" to greet each other, share with one another, engage in group activities together, and get ready to start the day on a positive note. This is also the space where students receive whole class instruction, listen to stories, and take part in meaningful discussions together. This carpet will allow everyone to fit comfortable in a dedicated space to maximize learning.
The meeting area also offers seating options for independent, partner, and group work. Many students enjoy taking their book baggy to the meeting area to spread out a bit and get comfortable during independent reading time. Writing partners will often take their writing materials to the meeting area so that they can work together without disturbing neighbors at their tables. Having a big carpet in this space will allow everyone to comfortably work, discover, share, and grow in our classroom community.
More than half 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. Gelbinovich and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
