Past projects 3
Coach DeRisi's Guided Reading Project
Funded Dec 31, 2018The students in grades K-3rd are absolutely loving the guided reading books that you all so generously donated. The teachers in these grade levels are crafting many different lessons that are helping our students master the grade level content standards. The lessons that have been taught using the guided reading books have consisted of teaching students phonics, sequence, story mapping, story elements, and elements of non-fiction, just to name a few. The teachers find that crafting these lessons and modeling them for their students is impacting their ability to read. We have many more students this year meeting benchmarks than we did in previous years.
In the classrooms reading looks different across the grade levels. For starters in the Kindergarten rooms the students learn through differentiated learning stations. Meaning that they rotate from guided reading to word work to independent reading and so on. This is all facilitated by the teacher and or the teacher assistants in the classroom. Whereas in the 2nd grade only the guided reading station is facilitated by the teachers and the other functioning stations are more independent. The one thing that all the classrooms have in common is guided reading. Their small groups help target the deficient skills that the students lack. The books from the collection donated are used and are working to help reinforce these deficient skills. In essence guided reading is a best practice and if done correctly, with the proper resources, having guided reading books, students will make progress and be met with success.
If I were to choose a classroom or grade level that is enjoying the guided reading books, I would have to say my Kindergartens. Not to dismiss my 1st and 2nd graders, because they are loving them as well but Kindergarten students seem to be getting the most joy out of the donated libraries. The books are just so enjoyable to read. They are colorful and really POP! The titles are catchy to the ear and well illustrated. All in all this donors choose project that you all helped get funded is a huge success. On behalf of all the students and teachers, I just want to extend my most heartfelt thanks to you all. Just know that this would not be possible without your support.”
With gratitude,
Mr. DeRisi
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 9 other donors.Growing the Minds of Young Readers Project.
Funded Dec 30, 2017I have to first start off by saying thank you! Without your support this project would not have taken off. The smiles that this project has brought first to my teachers is beyond measure. This project has breathed new life into their small reading groups. They are able to teach reading strategies to their students using their students independent reading levels. The students are so excited to read all the new library books that they see their teachers bring into the classrooms. When I go into classrooms and hear the students' excitement to get called over to the guided reading tables has put a smile on this literacy coach's face.”
With gratitude,
Mr. DeRisi
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 14 other donors.Fourth Grade Harry Potter Magical Novel Study
Funded Aug 31, 2016I want to first thank you all so much for the contributions that you made for my students. They were so overly excited to start this Harry Potter Novel Study. Since September when the audio books started to arrive the excitement on their faces was so overwhelming. I actually cried when I opened the box and started to unpack the audio books. I was in disbelief that I was actually able to have this project fully funded and in such a short amount of time. Well enough about me and my emotions, let's talk about my kids. They are ever so into reading and listening to the audio books played aloud for them. We start the lesson discussing the chapter from the day before and then begin on work on vocabulary for the new chapter, capturing the gist of what we read on certain pages, and being able to cite text evidence to answer text dependent questions. They are learning how to summarize and build paragraphs around a topic. They are also learning character traits of certain characters as the book goes on. Just seeing the enthusiasm that they bring everyday to each lesson lifts my spirit and makes me love teaching for what its supposed to be, which is fostering a love for education and instilling a life long love of reading. To this I say thank you to all the donors who helped get this project funded.”
With gratitude,
Mr. DeRisi