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
It is a difficult task to be ready to learn when you haven't slept because there's no heat in your home, or you haven't eaten because your caregivers haven't been able to afford groceries, but this is the task that many of my students are charged with every day when they come to school.
Our school is a public charter school in the Pittsburgh area that seeks to nurture the students' own passion, resilience, imagination, daring, and excellence to empower them to raise themselves out of their difficult circumstances.
We provide free breakfast and lunch to 100% of our students and backpack food every weekend to any student who needs it.
My students are the hardiest group of 6 and 7 year-olds I've ever encountered. They come to me having faced the every kind of adversity and yet, when they walk through the classroom door, they are smiling, ready to share their joy with each other, ready to challenge me with their curiosities, and ready for another day of learning.
My Project
At the moment, my students are being made to sit at school desks that are problematic for a number of reasons. They provide just enough separation, no matter how I arrange them, to prevent my students from developing a true sense of camaraderie; they are easy for my students to move throughout the day, which becomes a major distraction; and (most importantly) they become a safety issue when my students with high behavioral needs lose control and tip their desks over during their behavior episodes.
The tables that I am requesting will have an immediate, dramatic, positive effect on my classroom's learning environment.
I know this from my observations of other classrooms that use tables rather than desks. Sitting at tables, rather than individual desks, will allow my students to feel truly unified in their groups. Tables remove "desk flipping" as an option during emotional outbursts, so that my students are more likely to seek other, more appropriate outlets. The tables will also encourage the spirit of community that I promote in the classroom through sharing materials and tools.
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. Jean-Francois and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
