I teach first and second grade in one of the most violent and impoverished neighborhoods in the United States. My students, along with the public schools they attend, do not have the resources necessary to prepare them to succeed in today's workforce.
My students come from extremely low-income households.
Many of them come from families that cannot afford basic supplies such as food, clothing, and adequate living space. Books in these homes are very rare, and often non-existent. Though my students are bright and hard-working, they often enter kindergarten over a year below grade-level. I work closely with these students and their families to help them to close the achievement gap between themselves and their peers in (even slightly) more affluent schools. Even still, our school struggles to attain up-to-date resources and learning tools that are needed to reach this goal. Please consider contributing to my students, who deserve so much more.
My Project
I am requesting 7 instant learning centers on a variety of literacy levels. These learning centers can be used by groups of 4 students without a teacher's assistance. Research shows that students learn best when provided with one-on-one or small-group instruction that meets their individual learning needs. When a teacher works with small groups of students, however, the rest of the class must work independently until their time with the teacher arrives. My students cannot afford to waste this time on low-rigor or un-engaging activities. The various learning centers requested in this project will build foundational literacy skills as I work with their classmates in small groups. These materials, along with other high-quality workstations, will ensure that my students are always learning throughout the day.
This project will provide all of my students with meaningful learning opportunities while giving me time to focus on the critical small-group instruction that each of my students need.
These literacy centers are high-quality and durable enough that they can be used in my classroom for years. Most importantly, I have requested centers that reach students at a variety of reading levels, so that each student will have personalized learning experiences, even as I focus on their peers.
Nearly all 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. Thornton-Stocks and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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