I have a very diverse group of students who have faced many challenges in their short lives. In our geographical area, financial hardship is real.
I am so lucky to teach in a school where everyone works to meet the diverse needs of all of our students.
Our little school is special, but because we are so rural our declining enrollment is having a negative impact on our budget. There is not enough funding to provide the basics, let alone any extras that make a classroom both functional and a little extra special. I do what I can personally, but it is never enough.
My Project
Not all students read and learn at the same rate and on the same level. That is why we differentiate, or personalize, instruction. With a class size of 19, most of my students are at different reading levels. GuidedReaders.com provides reading materials (both printable and digital) at all of those levels. Guided Readers allows me to assign my students books at a range of levels that they can successfully read. After they finish reading a book, they take a short comprehension quiz on that particular book. The website will then give feedback on how well they did, and if they didn't do so will it suggests for them to try it again. As a teacher, I can see what quizzes they take and how well they do.
A feature that I am most excited about is where they can record themselves reading the books!
I can then listen to the recordings when I can concentrate fully on that student and offer feedback. I can also share the readings at parent/teacher conferences. This feature will allow me to listen to more students read everyday where I can focus fully on them reading without attending to classroom needs at the same time. A teacher's dream!
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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 Mrs. Horn and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.