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.
I'm proud to say that this year I get to see a classroom full of energetic, brilliant seventh graders every day, and teach them something more than math. Of course, we do learn pre-algebra, but our "Teacher Advisory" time is special. It allows the students to receive a well-rounded education as we touch on topics such as ethics and building character. More about that later.
We are a city school in Virginia serving a high-need, mostly African American community. Many of the families, teachers, and administrators (including myself) live within walking distance of our school, which allows us to connect outside as well as inside the school building. Having just moved to this state, I am impressed by the value that is placed on culture and relationshipts, and am grateful to have been welcomed into the community.
Remember when I mentioned "Teacher Advisory"? This class meets every day, and has a non-academic focus. Our hope as a faculty team is to use this time to educate the whole student in areas other than the major subjects. That said, character education is central to the time I spend with my 26 seventh graders, and it is my hope that during this incredibly formative year, the students will be able to grow into well-rounded teenagers. One way that we will do this is by spending time each day reading. Sometimes the students bring their own books, but it is also important that we read a book together as a class. Unfortunately, there are few resources available for this time, and we do not have a class set of books that we can read and discuss together.
I would like to read the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson with my students. This book delves into the controversial issues that students face in high school. This is an extremely powerful novel for my students to read because it will force them to think about these issues before they must call on their own morals and character to make positive decisions in their lives.
By contributing to our project, you will be directly supporting an effort to enrich the education of middle school students beyond the major content areas. Character education is a critical part of the middle school experience, because without it, students will not be prepared to make difficult decisions in high school. Thank you for taking the time to consider our proposal, and know that we deeply appreciate any contribution you make.
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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 Ms. Tsiknakis and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.