My students need a visual incentive, a graduation cap with tassels, to show that they can accomplish their goals and beat the odds to make it to graduation. We are trying to make sure that everyone can see the big goal.
I have 19 very different and diverse students from all types of backgrounds and family dynamics in my classroom. These kiddos are my sunshines, I tell them every day, "I believe in you!" Some of my second graders have graduated out of the ELL learning program, but I still have three others working their way to new languages. The cultural backgrounds of my students are so varied that we are truly a melting pot; we have Native American, African American, Somali, Korean, Hispanic, Caucasian, and many others. Without including myself there are two more boys than there are girls, which certainly fuels our debates.
Family dynamics are different for every student; just as some are with both mom and dads, some are in the custody of other family members, some are floating from home to home due to being homeless, and some students only have one parent or grandparent that looks after them.
There are students that are the only child in the home and there are students that are one of many siblings. Everyone has a different home structure so I try to create a community and a family within the classroom.
My students are creative, inspiring, and intriguing.
My Project
I want my students to know that I believe in them with this personalized graduation cap that has their name and a paw print for the school mascot. Our districtwide four-year graduation rate was 66% and these second graders are already talking about their graduations.
These students can look ahead to their graduations with pride and belief in themselves that they can be successful.
All of my students can receive a customized cap that they can wear at the end of this year to say they are done with second grade and they can wear it for a high school graduation or just keep it to look ahead for their success.
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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. Dunbar and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
