My goal is to ignite in my students a passion for children's literature, and to have them model that love of reading with young children in our local community. This is part of a larger goal to create a classroom environment appropriate for teaching high school students who wish to work with young children. I teach a diverse group of learners, in grades 10-12, enrolled in an elective Family & Consumer Education course. These students are taking my Early Childhood course for the purpose of becoming certified as Assistant Child Care Teachers - many of them will work with children in a licensed child care facility while they pursue a future in teaching. Most are interested in elementary education. All of them have an interest in working with children, and most will be parents at some point. Many of my students are English language learners.
Our current high school classroom has no supplies with which to create this environment. We are a moderate level poverty school, with multiple challenges as a result of that. I need to offer my students as many "hands-on" opportunities as possible. I have no department or building monies available to fund this initiative, and with increasing budget cuts, I am determined to find a way to be resourceful!
We are requesting a large classroom rug. Purchase of this rug will allow us to create the environment we envision - a classroom that's inviting, stimulating and welcoming - one that serves the high school students I teach - but is also appropriate for the 3-4 year olds we invite in. We would like to run a preschool for a couple of hours per day, so that my students might become certified as Assistant Child Care Teachers, and get a taste of what a career in Early Childhood might be like. The only obstacle we have is a lack of financial resources, with which to purchase the needed equipment. Many of my past students have put this certification to good use, as they find part time employment in local licensed child care centers during summers, or while attending college. Some special needs students have found their life's work this way. I want to model for my students how to create an environment for working with young children, while at the same time, provide an appropriate "area" within the classroom for developing a love of children's literature, so they might model this passion for young people they will work with.
Please know that your support will encourage us to share our passion for literature with others, first by practicing, and then through modeling with 3 and 4 year olds in our community. Together we can help children learn to love literature early in life...!
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