Help me give my students breakfast, lunch and snack items such as pop tarts, macaroni and cheese and granola bars so that they can be less about hungry and focus on their learning.
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
I work with a diverse group of high school students. Each of them comes with their own unique learning needs. However, together we are working towards one goal: to become lifelong learners, thinkers, and readers.
I am a reading teacher at a Title I school in Connecticut where 100% of my students are reading three or more levels below their grade level.
While these students face many challenges in their life and many of them have experienced trauma, they work hard each day to become better versions of themselves. Many of my students have the goal to be college and career ready but can become easily discouraged. They realize that they need to be literate individuals in order to achieve this, but this can be overwhelming for them at times. We are striving to work together to foster a positive learning environment that builds positive relationships, encourages improved student attendance and a higher level of engagement.
My Project
In my high school Read180 classes, my students struggle immensely with attendance.
On average, daily attendance is about 60%, which means that approximately 40% of my struggling readers miss instruction on any given day.
Often times, small things can cause student absenteeism. This is true in my classroom when students do not have access to meet their basic need of hunger. When students are fighting their hunger, they simply can not focus on the lesson. They become disengaged and eventually stop showing up.
Unfortunately, in classrooms in schools where breakfast or lunches do not adequately reduce student hunger, these tiny challenges becomes huge roadblocks. Unfortunately, students may decide to stay home and not attend school.
Sadly, students who struggle to have their basic need of hunger met, are less likely to be in class because they become anxious and overwhelmed. My goal is to foster a classroom where students and I engage in a positive relationship. I want them to know I am here to help them- whether it is with becoming a better reader or help getting a basic need, such as hunger, met with a breakfast, lunch or snack item.
When students have teachers who acknowledge the efforts they are making despite their challenges, they are more likely to be engaged in the lessons and show growth. I hope that by having food items such as breakfast bars, granola bars, macaroni and cheese cups, and water that students will be less focused on their hunger and more focused on their learning. I hope that by having some food supplies, I can cut absenteeism down because kids will know I care about them and believe in them.
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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. R. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.