My students need dry erase pockets for small group work, dry erase markers, reading comprehension workbooks, and hanging file folders for organizing their center work.
A typical day in my classroom features application of Language Arts skills to real life experiences. We do lots of hands on and brains on activities, such as following procedural texts to plant organically composted vegetable gardens or making our own ink and writing with quills in Social Studies.
My students are amazing, awe-inspiring people who overcome more challenges in a day than some have in a lifetime.
Many of them begin the school year coming solely because they know they'll be fed when they're on campus.
These are not just kids that are food hungry, though. One of the best parts of being a teacher at our school is seeing the kids change from just living in survival mode to coming to school excited to learn. My students live for the positive affirmations that they receive in the classroom, and the opportunity to be respected and valued for their individual strengths. Many of them begin the year barely able to read the instructions at the top of a page, and end the year as on-level readers because we share a mutual trust. They trust that I will help them in every way I can, including improving their Language Arts skills, and I trust that they will prove me right when I say they are capable of being successful.
My Project
Many of these supplies will be used for organizing my students' independent center work. My classroom does not have a large amount of storage, so hanging folder organizers with pockets will help eliminate clutter by allowing me to put their center activities up on the walls. These will give my students easy access to the materials they need daily while also giving them the accountability of keeping their section of the classroom in order.
We will also use the clear dry erase pockets, markers, and comprehension workbooks for differentiated small group practice. These pockets will allow me maximize the number of students I can service in group time without wearing out my paper, ink, and toner supply stock. They will also be used in my after-school tutoring group for practicing test-taking strategies.
We will also use some of these items, such as stacking trays and paper organization stations to keep our supplies in order, like construction paper and the kids' Power Hour folders.
The majority of the items I've requested are for organization, because my students thrive when there are procedures in place and stability in the classroom.
My students, like many others, are more calm and are better behaved when they understand the expectations and have jobs or responsibilities to control parts of the learning environment. Lack of order at home makes my kids enjoy organizing and I find that it actually quells their nerves, so these materials will benefit them in many ways.
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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. Crandall and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
