Every day, in my fifth grade class, we have lively discussions about an extraordinary variety of topics. Some of my students are full of information, but many others have limited knowledge outside of the neighborhood hope to use their curiosity about the world to spark a love of reading.
Sometimes it is frustrating to see the children who need the most, have the least.
Our children are sometimes in trouble for poor behavior at recess. The yard they play in is a vast expanse of busted up cement and rocks. Our students behave beautifully when taken on trips to nice places. I almost cried once, when some (past) students marveled at the "beautiful" bathroom at the N.J. State aquarium. Our hot, noisy, crowded lunchroom (gym) is a place where they often run afoul of the rules. However, when we take them to eat each year in a Chinese restaurant, they display beautiful manners. Some of our students are well cared for at home, but for some, school is the nicest place in their lives. The poverty level in our school is well over 90%. Many of our children have asthma, or other health issues. We have a nurse one day a week. Many of our students have serious behavioral health issues. We have a counselor for half of the week. Despite these challenges, my students continue to amaze me daily.
My Project
My students will be excited to receive their own weekly TIME for Kids magazines. It will be especially exciting to not have to share it with other students, and to take it home! We will use each issue for the entire week, tying it in with our science and social studies curriculum. These magazines will help level the playing field between our students during class discussions. The content they learn weekly, from the magazine and our ensuing discussions, will make news from other sources more accessible to our students. I am eager to show them the value of using the actual, printed word to learn about our world, rather than relying on t.v. and videos for information.
These materials will be the highlight of our day when we receive them.
They will expose our students to vocabulary and ideas that they would not otherwise experience. Many will not be going home to daily, lively, dinner table discussions with their (often overwhelmed) families. It is my hope that the habit of being aware of, and thinking about events in the larger world will be a habit that they will carry on as they grow older.
Nearly all 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. Gutchigian and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
