We are a diverse first grade, integrated collaborative teaching (ICT) class, with a combined mixture of general and special education students at a large, high-needs, Title I school in the north Bronx. Although the majority of students come from low-income homes or from homes with limited parental involvement, they are enthusiastic and truly come to school every day ready to learn. These children see school as a consistent part of their daily lives and strive daily to make me proud.
My 24 first graders are some of the happiest children I have ever had the pleasure of working with.
Not only do several of them struggle with unstable home lives, but many cope with various disabilities, such as ADHD, autism, and speech and language impairments. These kids inspire me to provide the best education I can for them.
My Project
My first graders are truly like sponges. One powerful way that we do learn to read and instill a love for literacy is by playing games. Learning games are a hands-on way to practice important phonics and decoding skills in an engaging and fun way.
These learning games and puzzles represent a variety of skill levels, so each child in our classroom can play and learn at the level appropriate for them.
Some children in our class are working on learning letters and sounds, while others have mastered those skills and are beginning to use this knowledge to read. No matter where they are on their literacy journey, each child will have an activity just right for them!
These materials will be used daily in our classroom. My students are hungry to develop new literacy skills and apply them to their reading. Students will use these new games in class during small group and independent work time once or twice a week throughout the year. They will be so excited to have new games to help them learn and grow in an engaging way!
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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 Ms. Rudzinski and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
