Our school is heavily affected by poverty. More than half of my students receive free or reduced lunch. The majority of them live in a home environment that is often very small and crowded. It's important for my classroom to be a safe haven that stimulates their love of learning!
My students are fabulous first graders at a Title I school in Maryland.
They are a wonderful group of kids who love learning through exploration. Their love of learning is what motivates me to come to work every day. About half of my students are English Language Learners. Many of their parents only speak their native language, which makes it difficult for them to receive support at home.
This is my 6th year at this school, and over the years I have been touched by each and every one of my students. My students do not focus on what they "can't do" but what they "can do". They know that I won't give up on them, and they are motivated to learn as much as possible. I wish that I could buy all the materials for my students that they deserve. Unfortunately, I have a lot of student loans myself and I'm limited with what I can spend.
My Project
I consider myself to be a frugal person. I'm always looking at yard sales and thrift stores for things that can be useful in my classroom. I have always wanted to get a colorful carpet for my classroom. My students spend about an hour a day sitting on the floor during whole group instruction. Currently they are sitting on 2 year old foam puzzle pieces that are literally falling apart. I'm trying my best to get these foam mats to make it through the year, but I don't think that they will hold up much longer. I know that my students would be very thankful to have a nice and comfortable place to sit for learning.
I want my kids to know that they deserve the best.
I try to teach them good values and the importance of helping others. They don't ask for anything, but I know that they need so much. Many of my students don't have a room of their own at home. It is extremely important that our classroom be a clean place where they feel welcome and happy. I'm hoping that in the one year they spend with me, they will learn that anything is possible with hard work and kindness!
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 Ms. Stroud and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.