Phonics Fun: Teaching When, How, and Why to Use Phonics
My students need the new Teachers College phonics curriculum for grades 1 and supporting materials such as magnetic letters, whiteboard pens, storage pouches, and a phonics mascot to best support students' literacy learning.
It is such a joy to teach in a classroom with great ethnic and socio-economic diversity. Students in my classroom come from various neighborhoods in San Francisco eager for the hands-on, project-based learning that my school offers. It is my goal to instill the love of learning in all of my students and find strengths that they can share with the class.
The school I work at is very special.
Classes are kept small so that students, teachers, and families can form strong relationships and teachers can provide the level of support that the children need. Staff members hold themselves accountable for student progress and collaborate closely with other staff members to ensure academic success for all students.
My Project
I work at a school dedicated to Balanced Literacy. We currently use the Teachers College Units of Study in both reading and writing. We have seen growth in students' positive identity as readers and writers. My colleagues and I were thrilled to learn that TC is producing phonics units that will bolster students' literacy growth.
These units align to the current reading and writing units of study, and the teaching will be done in context, helping students transfer what they learn about phonics to their reading and writing.
Units of Study in Phonics is the missing piece from the current units of study that we have been waiting for! As teachers, we will learn ways to teach for transfer so our students will draw on this curriculum to become more flexible and successful word-solvers and spellers. The supporting materials will help us implement these units. The plush lion is the phonics mascot that engages students and encourages them while learning phonics. Students also use hands-on manipulatives such as magnetic letters for word work practice and keep the manipulatives organized in the pouches.
I was able to attend professional development at Teachers College to learn about this new program, and am excited to delve into these units. Unfortunately, our school budget took a hit this year, and we will be unable to purchase these units to support our students as planned.
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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. Mullarkey and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
