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
My students come to me in September at various academic levels. Some of my students are in the beginning stages of reading while other students are still learning the alphabet and letter sounds. These books will enable all students, no matter their academic level, to discover the joy of reading.
My students are typical, active first graders.
They are imaginative, creative, enthusiastic, and playful with varying academic levels and abilities. My room is in constant motion with students working in reading and listening areas in order to discover the wonders of reading and writing. Yes, it can be challenging to keep everyone on task and motivated but because of my reading centers and with the help of these leveled readers, all students are working on their own level and finding success which motivates and challenges all my students.
My school is a public school in Philadelphia which is presently having funding difficulties. 99% of the students who come into my classroom and into our school are living in poverty. Because of this, many of my students do not have reading materials at home nor do they have literacy rich environments, putting them automatically at a disadvantage compared to those who do.
My Project
Two of my reading centers have students reading books to either themselves or to someone else. Also, we have approximately 1/2 hour of sustained reading though this amount of time is built up throughout the school year. During these times it is essential that students have materials that they can actually read and feel success with reading. These 18 leveled reader sets will enable this to happen within my classroom. My students will actually be able to work and read independently and have a variety of texts to chose from during these times.
These leveled readers will also be able to go home with the students so they are able to practice reading and show their reading skills to their families. This ability will help motivate not only the student but also the parent or guardian to encourage reading at home and at school. It is a win-win opportunity.
These books will have a large impact in my room.
They will enable my students to read. Enabling students or adults to read opens doors to endless possibilities. I want my students to love to read. I want them to have a book in their desks, in their backpacks, or in their home that they can get lost in them at any time of their day. I just want to create readers and I believe that these leveled readers will assist in this challenge.
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. Palermo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
