This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
My 100 students are typical high school students who have a mix of dreams and aspirations. However, what is not so typical are the barriers that they have in their way. I teach in an urban high school that has a wonderful mix of students but it also qualifies for 100% free student lunch (which is a measure of student poverty level). 70% of my students enter 10th grade at least 2-3 years behind and often have trouble building a sense of community in the classroom.
In order for my students to succeed, they need to feel that there is a community in our classroom and that they are valued.
My Project
In our school district, our students have a lot of social and economic concerns that impact their day to day school life. In my 10th grade English class, students also struggle with the concepts of symbolism and metaphors. In order for our students to succeed, they need to feel connected to the classroom and each other. That's where making a classroom quilt comes in.
I have already taught this lesson for the first time this year, and I was blown away by the care and dedication that the students put into their quilt squares.
They were extremely proud of their efforts and each class competed with each other in presentation and organization. The quilts are proudly displayed for the year in my classroom and it is often the first thing that students show their parents. I want to be able to continue the work and make it a tenth grade tradition.
Making the quilts is a hands-on visualization of symbolism and metaphors while building classroom community. The felt fabric supplies will be used for students to create a symbolic classroom quilt. Each student will use a felt square to create their own piece of the quilt. They will decorate the square with symbols that represent themselves in the past, present and future by using the fabric markers and use fabric glue to attach the felt squares to the larger quilt backing which will be hung up on the walls with command strips. At the end of the year, students can take their square home.
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 Mrs. Sergent and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
