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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Smirk from Brooklyn, NY is requesting professional development through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Smirk is requesting
Professional development

Mastering the Readers Workshop

Teacher Professional Development: I need the opportunity to improve my teaching of reading by attending the Reading Institute at Columbia Universities Teacher's College. <profdevpilot>

FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Smirk's classroom raised $1,267

This project is fully funded

My Students

I have been teaching students how to read using the Whole Language and Balanced Literacy methods taught to me in grad-school over 15 years ago. Although it has been working I would like to improve my skills even more.

As a graduate student I was able to learn the art of teaching reading through the Whole Language and Balanced Literacy methods.

Then when I started teaching kindergarten in a NYC public school 16 years ago I was given even more experiences with these methods of literacy instruction from staff developers from Australia. This background has made me love teaching reading and as well as helped me introduce a love of reading to my students.

My Project

The Reading Institute is designed for classroom teachers who are committed to turning their classroom into a literature rich reading and writing workshop. Some of the topics covered during the five day institute are; units of study during the readers workshop, aligning reading instruction to the common core standards, phonics as an integral part of early literacy instruction, assessment-based small group instruction and much, much more. The reading and writing institutes are attended by teachers from around the world. It is the must go to professional development for early childhood teachers. Schools around the country have improved their reading instruction with the help of this institute.

I believe my student deserve the very best teacher possible.

With the knowledge and resources this institute provides I will be able to provide my students with some of the best teaching practices around.

Ms. Smirk PS 181 Brooklyn Grades PreK-2

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Brooklyn, NY View local requests

More than three‑quarters of 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

18 students impacted 6donors

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Component Company Total
Activity CICERO $1,031.25

Trip cost

$1,031.25

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$15.47

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$1,076.72

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$190.01

Total project goal

$1,266.73

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,266.73

4 Donors

-$1,127.63

Donations toward project cost

-$1,076.72

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$50.91

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$139.10

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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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. Smirk and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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