Our classroom has been destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. We have nothing left. We are not allowed in our school until it is habitable for students and teachers. We are currently sharing a classroom with another 2nd grade class from our school. We have no materials and this would help us rebuild.
My students have been through a traumatic experience losing their school - a warm environment in which they loved.
Some of my 2nd graders have also had to leave their homes and their beloved community. Being back with me (their teacher) has given them some sense of normalcy and I know having some of the games that enhanced their learning would be another step forward for them. Our school houses kindergarten through fifth grade. There are 3 classes per grade. The staff takes pride in getting to know the children since it is such a small school. Our building is a half block away from the bay and 2 blocks away from the ocean. These 2 bodies of water met in our building on October 29th (Hurricane Sandy). Our first floor was destroyed and we are not able to use the school at this time. Our students cannot wait to come back "home" and neither can I!
My Project
My classroom was a place that students could turn to their peers to motivate and assist in their learning. Students were given ample time to communicate with one another and form partnerships. Having the puzzles and word building activities will give them opportunities once again to work and learn from one another. Listening to students teach each other is one of the many inspiring moments a teacher can dream about. When students work on these tasks like creating words with puzzles or stamping a sight word their trying to memorize, it gives them the ownership for advancing their reading skills. These moments also allow me to work with small groups in my classroom to build on other skills.
This has been a devastating experience for myself and my school family (students and staff).
I lost 25 years of teaching materials in my classroom. I have nothing left and this is not an exaggeration! Things I created, along with store bought items are gone. I dedicated many hours outside of our regular school day to organize my classroom and purchase materials to make our classroom a welcoming place. Donating to my project will bring a sense of normalcy back to my kids.
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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. Parks and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
