My school is the country’s only public dual language school dedicated to bridging the Deaf and hearing communities.
The children in my classroom are a mix of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing children (most with deaf parents).
Though I am neither Deaf nor hard-of-hearing, I am fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). Classroom instruction occurs in both languages: with two classroom teachers - one deaf, one hearing.
We are a Title 1 school with a diverse population of students coming from all five boroughs of NYC.
My Project
As a lifelong patron of the arts, I value the contribution of arts-based education to the social and emotional development of young children and combining the arts with children's literature is a journey I have been traveling my whole life - from performer to teacher - I have found a beautiful way to combine my interests.
This project supports Broadway Books First Class, which invites Broadway performers into the classroom to read a children's book and share stories about life in the theater.
This arts and literacy project was created to...
*CELEBRATE THE RICH CULTURAL OFFERINGS OF NYC
*PROMOTE LITERACY AND THE ARTS
*FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT OF SHARING ACROSS EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL COMMUNITIES
*PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH INSPIRING ROLE MODELS
*EXPLORE AND CULTIVATE TOPICS SURROUNDING DIVERSITY & ACCEPTANCE, PERSISTENCE & SELF-CONFIDENCE, COOPERATION & TEAMWORK AND THE PURSUIT OF DREAMS
*SEND A MESSAGE TO KIDS THAT THEY ARE LOVED, IMPORTANT AND SEEN
The children's books read by the performers are a bridge between home and school. I have witnessed an increase in motivation to read when children bring home an autographed copy of the book to enjoy again and again. My students need 10 very special book titles.
Thank you to all of you for supporting this project.
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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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 Dr. Wellbrock and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.