My newcomer students are in Grades 1- 2, and come from all over the world with little to no English communication or literacy skills. For most of my students our school is their first experience in America (newcomers) to learn English -and for some it's their first time even being in school. Some have lived their whole lives in refugee camps, some have traveled many miles in hope of finding a better life in America, and some have had parents translating for our American soldiers while living in war-torn countries. Our school provides free breakfast and lunch to all our students even now through Covid-19 school closures, and my job is still to teach English to them remotely. The best way to learn to English is to be excited about reading and writing about books. Even during the coronavirus while school is closed, my newcomer students come happily to Zoom online classes with smiling faces wanting to learn with their loaned computers using materials I personally mail to them or send via Amazon. But it is still hard to learn English when their parents do not speak or read English too.
My Project
Here's a chance for you to help change the lives of my students who truly love any little sticker I put on their papers when school was in session. We had just started using these sticker books I hope to purchase before our school closed due to the coronavirus, and so I know my students love them. I only wish I had taken photographs then - but I was waiting to photograph more. Luckily when the school opened for a quick hour for teachers to grab materials I grabbed these books and then mailed them out to each student. My students are happy to color in the black and white pictures I give them. My students are delighted when I read them a full color book. But to actually own and make a photographic colored sticker book is beyond exciting for my students. Through these color photograph stickers that are theme based, my students were engaged. They said each word before finding the matching picture and word stickers. We did one theme a day, and only one theme before the school closed. But luckily they got the idea enough for me to continue working with them through this coronavirus closure. One of my students even uses her landlord's computer just to continue working on her English with this book remotely with me. My students then write about the theme in their journal and draw their own pictures. I print out a lot of colored materials for them to use at home as well - and then mail it out again. We've been having some amazing meetings using our materials, and I cannot thank you enough for this help. Your donation truly makes a difference to many deserving children.
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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. Ryder and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
