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
My students love books! They love looking at favorite books independently to retell the story or "read" the pictures, but they especially love hearing favorite stories read aloud to them. For this, they rely on a teacher, and there are not enough to go around!
The Peacock Butterflies are a curious, ambitious group of 3- through 5-year-old students in a Montessori Head Start program.
Our program is one of only a few of its kind in the country, and since this is our first year, we are working hard to get a fully stocked classroom. Like most preschoolers, my students love interacting with books on a daily basis. They have become experts in naming parts of a book, like the front cover, and they are beginning to explain the roles of the author and illustrator. Some have even written some poems and stories of their own!
My Project
During center time, students often want to hear books read to them. However, this is not usually possible, as teachers are occupied with other tasks. With a listening center, students will have access to a selection of books on CD that they can listen to independently. Hearing fluent reading is essential for developing beginning reading skills. With the physical books available as well, students can develop print concepts, such as turning the pages from left to right, and tracking the text with their finger as they follow along. With very familiar books, they will even be able to recite the story along with the narrator! The listening center also provides children the option of hearing the same story again and again. This repetition is so important for little learners!
My students need a listening center with a portable CD player stocked with four sets of their favorite read-alongs for independent use.
A listening center is key in a literacy rich preschool classroom.
It provides students with an engaging way to interact with texts. This will help them develop important literacy skills along with a love for reading! Having a variety of books will allow me to rotate books throughout the year, ensuring the listening center remains an exciting option during centers.
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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. Goggins and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.