Help me give my students a warm, calming, and inviting learning environment that they love to be in. The comfy futon, three saucer chairs, and cozy area rug in my cart would mean the world to them!
This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
As a first year teacher, I couldn't ask for a better group of high school students to work with to each day. My students are warm, witty, and willing to work. Many of my special education students come from tough home lives, but they don't let that, or their disabilities, limit them. They never give up, even on the toughest of days.
I want to do everything I can to provide them with sense of safety and warmth-- a sense of belonging, like they done for me since my first day as a new teacher.
They already love asking if they can sit on my stools or in my computer chair, but I want to give each of them that option everyday! In only a couple of months, we've developed a sense of community, but they deserve comfort as well. They deserve having a classroom that they love walking into, a place where the rest of the world melts away, while we dive into literature and lively discussions.
I want them to have a place that they look forward to coming to, because I look forward to teaching them every single day.
My Project
20% of our district's students are homeless or in transition. In my classroom, I hope to provide a sense of home and community, but that can be hard to do with metal desks and tile floors paired with fluorescent lighting. By creating a comfortable and inviting classroom environment for my students, the calming effect can help my students to attend to tasks and open them up to learning more effectively. For many students, sitting at a desk in a hard chair is just one more uncomfortable distraction that stands in their way of learning. With comfortable and flexible seating with the futon and chairs, by softening the environment with a rug, and continuing to use natural lighting, students can feel more at peace during class. My students can enter the classroom, take a deep breath, and be comfortable while reading and learning. Creating a sense of home and comfort could help to facilitate less anxiety, a willingness to ask for help, pride in their workspace, motivation to participate, and an increase in the students' focus.
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. Hannegan McKee and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
