The students of my school are special in many ways, including the demographic make-up of the school as well as the strong moral character traits that make them unique.
Our high school is located in a blue-collar, military community outside of Omaha, Nebraska.
Bellevue is home to a large US Air Force base and many of my students come from military families. Many of my students' families are also hard-working blue collar workers.
Finally, the strong moral character of my students also stands out. The very first week in my classroom, after reading a short story that brought up a lot of personal issues for students, a young man in the class shared a heart-wrenching story of family trauma. Rather than talking about him behind his back, or judging him, the other students offered him support. It was beautiful.
Our students are special in many ways, including the demographic make-up of the school as well as the strong moral character traits that make them unique.
My Project
"Ms. H...I am so angry that bad things happen to good people!"--Uttered a student after reading a harrowing scene in "The Kite Runner." Then, the class scattered around the room and began to write reflection journals...pondering solutions to the challenging issues presented in the novel.
So many great authors and readers are inspired by sitting in a coffee shop or restaurant and discussing great literature.
The young adults in my classroom can be inspired the same way! Although students are able to sit on the floor while working to change the world in my classroom, it would be amazing if we had furniture to foster a more student-centered, reflective and collaborative environment.
Chairs and tables will allow for a much quicker transition into small groups, rather than moving big, heavy desks. They will also allow for more insightful discussion of literature. Lastly, the softer seating will be excellent for the high population of special education students in my room, who may benefit from more flexible seating.
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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. Halstead and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.