Help me give my students Logitech Stereo headset headphones that will enable them to use personalized digital reading intervention programs and 2 beanbag chairs to add comfortable seating that will encourage and support our independent reading routine.
What I love about 6th graders is the mix of innocence and curiosity they show while learning about the world. My students are amazing scholars, artists, athletes, and communicators who come to school ready to learn and work hard. Some of my best moments as an educator have been seeing my students' ability to show kindness and empathy for others, leadership in a challenging situation, and hidden talents when given the chance to thrive.
We are a safe and supportive school, meaning that many of our students have experienced trauma, poverty, homelessness, and/or have recently immigrated to this country.
I teach in our inclusion strand, where many of my students also have special education plans designed to support significant academic and/or social-emotional disabilities. Despite this higher level of need, our urban district suffers from many of the same funding shortages plaguing high-need schools across the country. Thus, in order to reach their greatest potential, my students need some extra financial support to have their best possible 6th grade year.
My Project
As a middle school special education teacher, I work with many students who have significant gaps in their basic literacy skills. Every student has a unique reading skills profile, however, which makes it crucial that I deliver personalized instruction that can meet students where they are. Through several years of working with other English teachers and reading specialists, pursuing professional development, and relentless experimentation in my teaching, I have built a set of instructional routines that use high-quality digital programs to move students forward.
When teaching reading to older students, it is crucial that content be delivered in an age-appropriate, engaging way.
Having a class set of Logitech Headphones with attached microphones will allow my students to use LANGUAGE! Live, a research-based curriculum that mixes digital and analog intervention for struggling adolescent readers. With a mix of "Word Training" and "Text Training" modules, the program fills in gaps in basic phonics and decoding while also providing practice with grade-level comprehension skills. Importantly, all of this happens through texts and video content designed with teenagers in mind. The headphones will let students listen to personalized content and self-assess what they read against recordings in the program.
In addition to the differentiated instruction of the language! Live curriculum, my students also have personalized reading experiences through our weekly independent reading sessions. Beanbag chairs will support this routine for students and make our classroom a warm, inviting space. For some students, especially more reluctant readers, flexible seating options help ease the transition into reading and provide a more tactile alternative to traditional chairs. For an especially active/hyperactive student, sinking into a beanbag can help regulate and calm the body, making them more ready for reading and learning.
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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 Mr. B. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
