Past projects 5
Validating LGBTQIA+ Experiences in our Classroom Library
Funded Mar 31, 2023Thank you for your generosity in helping me bring books that showcase the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community into my classroom library. I am both deeply grateful for being a part of a school that promotes inclusivity and the well-being of all students and deeply grateful for your contributions in this endeavor. With your help, students can develop a culture of respect for all genders and identities.
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop has referred to books as "mirrors and windows." For students who identify as being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, these books are an opportunity to connect with experiences that may be similar to their own. For other students, especially the majority who do not identify with this community, it is important to experience books with queer protagonists to help them perhaps find commonalities in each other's experiences.
Again, thank you for helping develop the next generation into thoughtful and accepting community members.”
With gratitude,
Mr. White
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 3 other donors.Representation Matters in Classroom Libraries
Funded Mar 31, 2023I am once again truly grateful for your donations that added many wonderful books to our classroom library. My students speak Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Urdu, Mam and other indigenous languages. Thus, it was important for me to maintain a library with as many books that represent the diversity of my students and validate their languages, cultures, histories, and voices. The books we share with our students can also serve as windows into the lives of others and thus, increase the empathy we have towards those of differing backgrounds.
Your kindness and generosity have been felt every time we have independent reading or when a student asks to borrow a book before and after class. We are tremendously grateful for your support.”
With gratitude,
Mr. White
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 3 other donors.Inspiring Reading and Critical Thinking Through Graphic Novels
Funded Nov 29, 2022What a whirlwind of a year it has been. Once again, I am truly grateful for your donations of these graphic novels that allowed us to expand our classroom library. Their enthusiasm for reading has become one of the highlights of this school year. These graphic novels generated high interest amongst our struggling readers and beginning English Language Learners. The stunning artwork that accompanied these rich stories allowed students to improve their reading fluency. Their engagement with these graphic novels in the past few months have made our foray into our recent fiction novel unit more seamless and rewarding. Students who were hesitant to pick up an entire novel in September have gained confidence in their abilities.”
With gratitude,
Mr. White
This classroom project was brought to life by Seed to Read and 4 other donors.Fostering Multilingual Literacy Through Comparative Reading
Funded Nov 30, 2022My students were very curious when they saw the donations show up to our ELA classroom during the last period of the day. As the books were being unpacked after class had ended, many students opted to stay behind. Although it was the end of the school day, my multilingual learners were eager to discover what was being added to our classroom library!
Their faces lit up, especially my newcomers with limited English, when they saw the selection of books in Spanish and Chinese. Students began picking up each book, looking at the front and back covers, thumbing through the pages: it was almost as if these books were not real! Students immediately began reserving these books for our independent reading time (Drop Everything And Read, or DEAR). Students who wanted to read the same book began negotiating with each other over who would get to read it first! One of my newcomers saw a book of poetry and a book of short stories from her favorite writer, Jorge Luis Borges, and could not decide which to pick first to read. I gently reminded her that both books were now a permanent part of our classroom collection and she had plenty of time in the school year to read both, and more!
This collective excitement did not wane when it was finally time for our next DEAR in class. The students who had stayed after previously excitedly rushed to get their new books. Other students browsed through the Spanish and Chinese books with the same eagerness. One of my non-English language learners picked up Telaraña de Carlota (Charlotte's Web) and was excited to read it in Spanish as it was one of her favorite books and was hopeful to use this as a way to continue improving her own home language literacy.
None of this would have been possible without the kindness and generosity of donors like yourself. My students' love for reading continues to grow and has surpassed my expectations; I was amazed to see how truly excited the students were to have these new books. We are tremendously grateful and fortunate to be able to have an expanding classroom library of books in multiple languages. With heartfelt appreciation, I want to thank you once again for your donation.”
With gratitude,
Mr. White
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 7 other donors.Emerging Bilingual Scientists in the Making
Funded Nov 23, 2022My students were very excited to see the new Chromebooks that they could use in our science class. They have been able to connect their NYCDOE student accounts to these devices, which allows them to quickly save and access their work and bookmarks to individualized resources. It was also a delight to see my students so excited to set their profile pictures by either taking a selfie or picking one out from the gallery!
As we dive deeper into our science curriculum, the Chromebooks have been a wonderful supplement to our science classes. In my living environment class, the technology has allowed our multilingual learners to access a wealth of scientific content in a variety of languages, including Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic, and provide a quicker way to translate their questions and thoughts. They have been able to access a variety of EdTech platforms (BrainPop, Edpuzzle, Khan Academy, Quizlet) in class. Seeing the material in both English and their home language has helped support the newcomers' English language acquisition and basic understanding of the living environment. In June, students will be taking the Living Environment Regents. Whether they take the test in English or in their home language, your donation has set them up for success!
In my chemistry class, the new Chromebooks have made it possible for students to work independently and at their own pace. Students have been able to review content they had been struggling with, conduct independent research, perform virtual labs, and expand their understanding through various extension and POGIL activities.
Finally, these Chromebooks have allowed my students to practice discipline in organizing and maintaining our laptops, work collaboratively on group assignments in Google Drive, and develop the digital skills needed to succeed in the 21st century. For example, at the beginning of the year, many students were struggling with typing and navigating websites. Now, with more frequent access to a computer thanks to these Chromebooks, students have continued to improve these necessary skills that are often overlooked.
With heartfelt gratitude, I want to thank you once again for your generosity. My students were simply blown away by the kindness of wonderful donors like yourself when they found out about the donations.”
With gratitude,
Mr. White