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
Do you remember the moment of pride you felt when you mastered the art of reading? Do you remember that sense of accomplishment when you finally became a successful reader? I want my students to experience that same feeling when they read.
I chose to teach in Harlem because I believe that even the neediest students -- especially the neediest students -- deserve a good education.
How am I supposed to teach my second graders to read if I do not have the right books for every student in my classroom? My students love school, and they all aspire to become better readers. Some of them really struggle with "typical" books that contain phonetically irregular words. I need those students to experience success with reading books at their level so they will have motivation and confidence with every book they read.
My Project
During graduate school, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work in a reading clinic with struggling readers. One of the tools we used to help improve the abilities of these students was using books that contained decodable words. Using these allowed students to practice the decoding skills they were learning and have the experience of reading words they could read correctly. I saw students become very confident in their reading, which improved their ability to attack words in every book. I want my current students to have this same opportunity, but I need decodable readers. I have also noticed that many of my students have trouble reading to themselves. Using a whisper phone will allow them to hear themselves while they read, while not disturbing other students. The last thing I am requesting is reading response cards and write & wipe boards. These will allow students to complete comprehension activities after reading, deepening their knowledge of every text.
I believe that with these books, whisper phones, reading response cards, and write & wipe boards, my students will learn how to read fluently while gaining confidence in their reading.
A donation like this would be the best thing that has happened to my students in Harlem in a long time. Will you please help us?
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. Kan and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.