I would love to have all my students reading at or above level by the end of the year. One of the biggest challenges to this is the lack of appropriate books at home.
My students come from a diverse, urban neighborhood.
The number of families at or below poverty level increases every year as does the number of children qualifying for free/reduced price lunch. Despite the many challenges that low income families face, my students are eager to learn and willing to work hard. Our school has over 1,000 students and the classes are filled to the maximum and then some. Resources - books, supplies, storage - are scarce and getting scarcer. We are grateful and appreciative of any and all help!
My Project
The necessity for the chair pockets is for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, it will enable me to unobtrusively slip books that are individual (re: level and interests) to each and every student for purposes of leisure reading and/or take home. Students who struggle with reading often choose literature that is too hard for them to "fit in" with their peers and get embarrassed when steered to "just right" books - the pockets will eliminate the "stigma" (perceived!) they feel. I will be able to provide extra practice sheets and challenging work as needed. I can also put in supplies (pencils, erasers, etc.) for children who have none. Also, having a place to put their personal belongings will, hopefully, decrease the filching and the anxiety of worrying about it. A place to store their own extra supplies will banish the distractions (again, hopefully) - many children fidget with their extra pencils and what not.
It will improve the management of the class as the extra, distracting materials will be out of sight.
Instructional time will benefit from less interruptions due to a decrease in thefts. My students lives will be enriched by exposure/availability to just right literature that they can read in class and at home. The students will be sure that their personal possessions are secure.
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