I am proud to call myself a lifelong Brooklynite. I'm even more proud to say that I teach Language Arts and Reading to an AMAZING group of 8th Graders at an urban middle school in beautiful Brooklyn, NY. Sadly, our beautiful part of Brooklyn is still recovering from the events of Hurricane Sandy.
Many of my students were already behind the eight ball academically and financially when Hurricane Sandy struck.
While the evening news has moved on to new topics, many of my students and their families are still recovering from the terrible events of October 2012.
Despite these hardships, my students are still expected to meet the new educational standards that our country is embracing. Our students must rise to the occasion and become the best that they can be and it is my job to help them get there.
Imagine taking a trip without a road map, or Google Earth, and you can appreciate my current dilemma.
My Project
Our administration has been able to purchase a set of Common Core aligned material for each grade called "READY NYS ELA CCSS" which is an excellent resource. The problem is that each set of "READY NYS ELA CCSS" books must be shared by upwards of 400 students per grade and they CANNOT be written in. This is no way for a child to learn.
Research shows that students learn more when they are able to write and annotate their own book. My dream is to provide each of my students with both an instructional and practice book that they can call their own and write in. This way, the lessons and standards can come alive and have a more lasting impact on my students. I have been lucky enough to accomplish 1/3 of my goal but I still need help to obtain material for the other 2/3's of my students.
Given our current budget constraints, the funds to provide each student with consumable, standards-based books simply don't exist - which is where you come in.
My students are bright, energetic, and eager to learn.
They are headed for bright futures, but they need direction. You can help them get on the road to a fantastic future. With a little help and encouragement, they can overcome this tragic event and move forward. All they need is a little help from you!
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 Mrs. Kieran and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
