To understand the need for a redesign of the library it is helpful to know more about the school itself. Our school is a public option school, that means that the majority of students are selected for admission through a lottery process. There is no entrance requirement or admissions interview for selection. All students in grades 6-12 are engaged in the rigorous International Baccalaureate, or IB, program and are expected to expected to complete independent research in all content areas.
The school library is a cornerstone of the work that students complete during all of their years at the school.
During grades 6-10 students participate in the IB Middle Years Program, which culminates in an independent research personal project. In grades 11-12 all students participate in IB Diploma Program classes and are required to write an independent research essay, called the extended essay, for graduation.
My Project
The students are tremendously busy meeting the requirements of their school courses and activities outside of school. Students are working to meet the requirements of their seven college level courses, completing a 4,000 word investigation of their own choosing in the format of an extended essay, and fulfilling 150 hours of community, action, and service (or CAS). Many of our students also participate in clubs, sports, or activities at their home high schools which we cannot provide them at our small school. Students also work jobs to support themselves and assist their families. It is astounding to hear everything that these students are managing and it is understandable that they feel overwhelmed due to these expectations.
This seating would help our students work comfortably in their "home away from home" and recharge to meet the challenges of their demanding IB programs.
We cannot change the requirements of the rigorous IB program, instead, the focus of this project is to give our students a comfortable place to work as they meet these rigorous demands. As an International Baccalaureate, or IB, school we strive to help our students embody the traits of the IB learner profile. The greatest challenge our students have is finding a way to be balanced IB learners amid all of their activities and expectations. A balanced IB learner has equity in his/her life related to the intellectual, physical, and emotional demands that are placed upon them. This is incredibly difficult for our students and the library could offer more of a respite for our students if it was a more comfortable space. Our library regularly runs out of seats for students and students are forced to sit on the floor in corners to work in the library. The seating requested would fulfill a need and provide comfort.
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 Ms. Bailie and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.