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
I teach English as a second language and 8th grade resource English for a public school system. The school I work at provides 100% free lunch. The students I work with are mainly from El Salvador and African Americans. Some of them are separated from their families, and the rest who live with their families have very limited resources, but they love to learn, and they are very appreciative of anything we give them at school (it could be something as simple as a sticker).
Their families are hard labor workers, and they work very long hours.
But they do want the best for their kids and are also very appreciative of what we (teachers) do with their kids at school.
The ESL students are grades 6th, 7th, and 8th. We learn content subjects such as ELA, science, and social studies.
I am also an immigrant to this country as well. English is also my second language, and that's how I connect with my students.
My Project
Snacks will help my students stay awake during first and second reading periods. They never eat breakfast and they can't think when they are hungry which in return means they can't do their class work.
I can't have enough snacks to feed my students who are teenagers and hardly eat at home.
Food to them is a must to help them stay awake and focused on the task assigned in class.
Food to my students is a need, not a want.
Instructions run smoother and faster when students are well fed. Even classroom management runs smooth and fast when kids are well fed. Food is such a big part of the learning equation that without it, the equation is never balanced.
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. Saffar and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
{"pmaHash":"","schoolCity":"Washington","showProjectRecommendations":true,"teachersOnPage":[2354266],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"DC","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":3,"name":"Middle School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"proposalId":4538630,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/food-is-essential-for-learning/4538630/","verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":28,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Saffar","isEquityFocus":true,"authorIds":{"2354266":{"owner":"Ms. Saffar","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[4538630],"proposalHash":"-1638792448","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2354266_orig.png?crop=295,295,x102,y40&width=136&height=136&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1568759735631","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":402053,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["Njg4NjA2OQ=="],"teacherId":2354266,"schoolCounty":"District Of Columbia","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"DC","name":"District of Columbia"}}