As a result of families’ cautiousness during the 20-21 school year and kindergarten being optional in Utah, this year is the first experience many of my students have had inside a classroom or school. The ones who did go to school only attended half day.
My 22 students work everyday to rise to the challenge of learning how to be a student, learning how to be a community member within our class and school, and persevering through academic and social challenges.
They are amazing. They want to learn more. They want to assert their independence. They want to come to school and become better people. They also get tired and carry their own struggles. They recognize when they don’t know everything, and they try to help each other in anyway they can. My students act like siblings that love and hate each other at the same time, and they are so excited to see each other after the weekend. They make me happy to come to school every day, even when things get hard.
My Project
My students came into my classroom with a wide range of strengths and areas to grow. Some were reading at or above grade level, while even more couldn’t identify all their letters and sounds. One boy could answer almost any math problem, but was unable to write his own name. Some are natural problems solvers when it comes to friends fighting, while others have trouble waiting their turn.
I have selected a variety of items spanning literacy, math, social emotional, and fine motor skills in order to continue addressing my students’ varying needs.
Each one of my students have made wonderful, measurable growth, but there are many things with which we still need help and practice. They need help processing what’s going on at home, while being expected to perform at school. They need the chance to practice social emotional skills in a safe environment. They need the chance to improve their academic skills with a variety of materials.
At the end of the day, my goal is to have students leave my classroom a better person with a bit more knowledge. COVID-19 kept many of my students out of the classroom, out of friends’ homes, and out of what adults remember as “normal.” This is their first opportunity for a more “typical” school year. I want to continue meeting them where they are. I believe the resources requested in this project will help me challenge them and improve their skills across the board.
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. Bowers and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
