I have a curious set of diverse students who are eager to learn and explore new topics. Their energy inspires me to create meaningful and memorable lessons across the curriculum. The activities that we complete, both in and out of the classroom, are greatly restricted by the socioeconomic makeup of our student body, as well as the absence of a budget for books in our 5th-grade classroom.
We are all educating our children to succeed in a world where acceptance and tolerance can sometimes be absent.
As teachers, we can prepare students for a future where they can be both an advocate for themselves and for someone else. If they can learn to understand a variety of differences in people, then they will be equipped with the skills to stand up for them. The students themselves are very willing to work on this skill in school and take the opportunity to utilize the limited resources that are available in order to do so.
My Project
Fish in a Tree is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that will have my students reeling with emotions. Most of my students have limited access to great books. As an intermediate teacher, I feel a sense of urgency to put great books into their hands and this is one of them. This book is an insightful look at a little girl with dyslexia. She is unaware that she has a learning disability and feels only that she is dumb and does not fit in with other students. This book teaches lessons on self-esteem, tolerance, and how important it is to respect the differences in ourselves as well as others.
My students need to hear these experiences because so many of them can relate.
They need to know that there are other kids that are dealing with the same things as they are. It will build a classroom climate of support and acceptance; that we all have different needs, goals, and purposes in life, no one more important than another. My hope is that providing Fish in a Tree will not only help my students find themselves in great literature but will inspire a life-long love of reading. We look forward to using these books as a whole group read aloud and in small literature circles so that we can really begin to discuss in depth the issues taking place.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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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 Mrs. Pinkerton and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
