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
Imagine participating in small group reading instruction where there are not enough authentic books for every student. As a result, you are forced to read the books that come with your textbook series instead of interesting books by well known authors. This is an everyday occurrence for my students.
I teach second grade at a high needs school in Chicago.
My school is unique in that it practices responsible inclusion of students with special needs such as autism and developmental delays. As a result, 25% of my students receive special education services and 85% of my students are considered to be low income.
Already in second grade, many of the students are reading below grade level. This makes it a challenge to find material that is both engaging and at my students' reading levels within our school and the curriculum that is provided to us. In addition, my students often complain that the stories that come with the curriculum are not "real stories."
In my classroom I strive to pass on my love of reading to my students. One way I do this is by providing students with the opportunity to read and discuss literature in small groups. My students love these reading groups and the exposure to different genres, topics and authors that they are receiving.
My Project
Currently, my students have a very limited supply of books that they can read in their small group lessons and my school does not have the necessary funding to order more books. By providing my students with access to more books, I will be able to continue teaching small group literacy lessons and motivating my students by using the guided reading format.
Guided reading is an effective strategy for teaching reading because it allows me to individualize my instruction to meet my students' needs. This is especially important as I have a large range of reading levels and needs in my classroom. By implementing reading groups, I am able to give my students mini-lessons that strengthen their reading by targeting specific phonics and comprehension skills. I am also able to expose my students to the wide variety of literature and to show them that reading can be fun, engaging and personal.
Please help me provide my students with the books they need to enjoy and be successful in reading.
My students need your help and your support. You can make a difference in my students' lives.
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. Birnbaum and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
