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 are resilient, creative, curious, funny, and hard-working 3-5 year olds who attend a Head Start affiliated Pre-K classroom at a Washington, DC public school. Our full-time special education classroom is part of an elementary school in a neighborhood where most students are considered to be at-risk, determined based on socioeconomic needs. My students have been diagnosed with autism or other communication related disabilities. Regardless of these labels, my students consistently prove what is possible with hard work and dedication.
In my classroom, students work toward the same goals as their peers, but often need specialized materials or a slightly different approach to instruction.
Throughout the day, they practice academic, social, and communication skills through one-on-one and small group instruction. My students learn best when we explore new vocabulary and concepts through play (like a craft activity, pretending to cook with play food, or building structures with blocks) as well as more formal, teacher-driven instruction. They need meaningful context and repeated practice to learn new skills and vocabulary. Whether communicating via sign language, picture exchange, assisted technology or words, my students are eager to find their voice!
My Project
Teaching in the "new normal" of a COVID-19 world means balancing new priorities and tasks along with the typical teacher role. Our district has not yet outlined exactly what the Fall of 2021 will look like, but we do plan to have all of our students back with us in-person after some have spent over a year learning online. Each student will need a ton of attention in order to recover both academic and social-emotional skills. As I enter my 12th year teaching, I hope to avoid burnout by becoming less stressed and more focused on the parts of teaching that actually make an impact with kids! This means tackling other duties (like necessary but burdensome paperwork) in creative ways so that I can use my brain power to develop and deliver the most effective instruction for students.
In order to maximize the time I spend planning and prepping for each day and save precious hours for face-to-face time with students, I am requesting a year-long professional development membership that focuses on time management and efficiency.
Members are guided through monthly topics as they examine every aspect of their work in order to streamline and systematize. Members also have a high quality Personal Learning Network included with their membership: they can check into a private Facebook group to ask questions and share resources.
Membership in this "club" is sold on a yearly basis, and it is approved by DonorsChoose as a great professional development opportunity. One year in this club gives me access to all of the materials for life, so helping me become a better teacher this year will reap benefits far into the future. Please join me in making my classroom a peaceful, organized learning environment run by a prepared, balanced educator.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Battle and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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