Triumphs of Students: Learning Reading and Writing with Art
My students need about 30 different art supplies, such as plaster (for Renaissance Masks), paints, felt, and other different items to create various artistic works to coincide with their reading and writing projects.
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
Would you like to help influence and inspire the lives of several underprivileged youth? Our school has over 2,300, and many different classes and programs. I am privileged to teach ESL English, or English as a Second Language, to 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students. I have about 10 to 20 students in each class.
One major obstacle is that my students do not speak, read, or write English. In fact, many of these students have been in the United States for 3 or less years, and are greatly struggling to learn English. Another major problem, is since the students have recently immigrated, their parents do not speak, read, or write English, either. Thus, the students have little, if any, support at home. Indeed, the majority of my school is Hispanic - 92.7%. However, other minority groups are represented as well: African American - 2.9%, Native American - 1.4%, and Asian American 0.4%. With Department of Education regulations requiring students to learn and master English more quickly than ever, teachers are forced to use many creative techniques to advance students' learning. I, for example, try to integrate art, and creativity, with reading and writing and grammar objectives. The more a student actively participates in his or her own learning, the more he or she remembers. Unfortunately, with the price of so many things going up, the government, as well as my school district, has been forced to cut back on spending. Thus, many of my students’ projects will have to be cut unless I can find funding.
One requirement in my school’s curriculum is teaching students various types of poetry, including various literary terms. These concepts are challenging for my students. Another objective that the district and state curriculum mandates is teaching plays, specifically Shakespearean plays. This is a difficult concept for my students. One way I help my students to understand these concepts is by delving into the Renaissance and Elizabethan time periods. My students create Renaissance masks. They also create puppets that they use to act out various scenes from the plays. These hands on projects help the students to cement difficult concepts; making abstract concepts become less foreign and more understandable. Furthermore, the students love the projects. Thus, they willingly come to school, and enjoy a day of learning. One of the major resources that is needed to create the masks is plaster. The students also need art supplies such as various paints, acrylic gems, beads, and feathers to decorate the masks. Students also need felt to create their puppets. Finally, in order to create their poetry books, students need various types of decorative paper.
Again, I ask you would you like to help influence and inspire the lives of several underprivileged youth? You can make a difference in the lives of many young people. Your help will ensure that my students get to continue learning and using hands on projects to further their education. Thank you in advance for making a difference!
More than half 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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