There's something magical about first grade. The enthusiasm for learning and life run high, all the time. First graders give it everything they've got, all day, every day. As their teacher, I have to do the same.
First grade is when students become readers.
They come in from kindergarten knowing sight words and letter sounds, able to read simple sentences and repetitive textbooks. They leave decoding long vowel teams and able to read beginning chapter books. First graders work hard all year to turn themselves into readers, and I tremendously enjoy taking that journey with them.
My Project
I have been a first-grade teacher for 15 years. No one is more surprised by this than me. In college, I thought I'd be a teacher for about 10 years, then move on to something else in the education world. However, I have loved the past 15 years in first grade, and have been content to stay put for far longer than I originally planned.
I am currently earning my Librarian Information Specialist Professional Educator License.
In recent years, I have come to appreciate the power of diverse books and the importance of reading for enjoyment. It is my hope that when the librarian at my elementary school retires, I can move from first grade to the library. I would love to be able to help all students at my school find books that ignite their passion for reading. As part of this goal, I have been working to learn more about literature and media outside of the first-grade realm. Attending the Scholastic Reading Summit would be a crash course in what's out there, and would help me tremendously in my long-term goal of moving into the school library.
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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. Hembrough and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.