Help me give my students an impactful reading experience, one that they can bring home, and a healthy snack for students at school in need of some energy to focus!
When asked to describe my ideal classroom in one word, I decided upon the community. As a subscriber to the basic ideas of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, I know that there are some essentials that need to be covered before my students are open to understanding: safety, food, water, a sense of belonging, etc. Each day, I see 160 students aged from 13 to 15, growing, reaching out, learning, and hurting. Being a preteen is difficult, but it becomes more difficult when your basic needs are not being met. I do what I can to give my students a sense of belonging by continually showing them my professional support: giving them honest feedback, allowing space for their voices, and telling them every day that I care about their success.
Just under half of the students that attend my school are from low-income families, and unfortunately, this does seem to be impacting academic achievement.
As a teacher, what lacks in impoverished households is what I strive to give back to help students achieve. For some of my students, school is the only safe place: they eat their meals here, learn here, and find a community where they belong.
My Project
Due to a lack of school funding, it is difficult to be able to send books home to students. This project will allow me the additional copies of books necessary so that I can check whole-class novels out to my students who are sick at home, or to all students in light of another surge in COVID-19 cases. The book chosen is one that is approved by our district and allows students to think about important life lessons on loyalty, revenge, and humanity told by the amazing author, Jason Reynolds. The inclusion of the graphics and images helps students learn English as a second, third, or fourth language also makes these books ideal to teach for a diverse population of students.
Additionally, this funding will go to helping students at school who are struggling to meet their basic needs of being fed healthy, energy-rich foods.
While a lot of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, many of these students don't make it to school in time to benefit from free breakfasts and spend most of the school day with stomachaches and low energy. A granola bar is a quick and easy way to ensure that these students get the nutrition they need to succeed.
More than a third of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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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. Lami and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
