Put Me in Your Plans!

My Students

Calvin Coolidge said, "We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once." Being a first year teacher, my students and I both realized we cannot do everything at once. My students learned the importance of prioritizing and how staying organized allows them to get more done.

My students come from a number of diverse backgrounds.

Most come from underprivileged areas and many have been identified as homeless this year. My students live in an area that has been hit hard with economic difficulties, causing many of them to have unemployed parents. A number of my students live with extended families, making their home lives crowded and disorganized. Many families also do not have transportation to help their student get from home to school. If one of my students misses the bus, they cannot make it to school. Despite the lack of support at home and the lack of opportunities, my students want to do big things with their lives. They crave having opportunities to prove they are successful. Many of my students have said they want to be the very first people in their family to graduate high school or go to college. The first step in being successful is showing them how to prioritize, and how to get and stay organized.

My Project

I want to give my students a chance to be independent. I want them to feel like they have played a part in their success. I want them to be able to look at their planners and say, "Look at everything I accomplished today!" Having the daily planners will allow them to write down the material we learned for the day and also the tasks they have accomplished. It will also help them recognize what still needs to be done so they can make time for their work at home. Using a planner will also help the students who are frequently absent. They can look at the days they missed and fill out the schedule so they can figure out what they missed and when they can make it up. We will also use the three ring binders to stay organized. Keeping the binders in their desk will allow them to have all of their materials in one place, making it easier for them to stay on track. Fewer assignments will turn up missing or destroyed. It will help them move around the room to work with partners.

Putting responsibility in my students hands will make them feel successful and important.

There is nothing more powerful than hearing a student say, "Look at everything I have done!" I have tried desperately to find ways to support my students, but it has been very difficult as a first year teacher. I am struggling to stay afloat too. I would be so grateful for any support you can provide. My students are incredible and they inspire me everyday, I want them to feel inspired too. Thank you!