My Students

When you're at home, do you read sitting straight up in a hard plastic chair? Of course you don't, you get comfortable in your favorite spot and read away. My students want to experience that same feeling. Help my students get the supplies we need to set up a cozy reading corner in our classroom.

I teach 26 Fifth graders at one of the charter schools that opened in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.

They are African American, Vietnamese, and Hispanic. Many of the students come from homes where often issues related to poverty are focused on, while education is less of a concern. They have overcome so many obstacles already in their young lives, but they have high hopes and optimism that they can achieve success if they work hard. They are children who will prove that no disaster can stop someone from going places, doing great things, and achieving their dreams.

My Project

Many of my students don't have many books at home to read, so every day we have silent reading time where they can read from our class library. This project will give our class a great cozy reading space where they can enjoy reading many books. We currently have only desks and a hard linoleum floor in our modular classroom, so this would be a wonderful gift for all of my students. Each morning when we meet for our morning meeting, they sit on the cold floor, so throughout the day the gift of a reading rug would help make our time much more enjoyable. We also have workshop each week where we practice the skills they need to become stronger readers, so that they can increase their fluency and comprehension. The other materials would be used during workshop as I help them find a true love of reading and gain confidence as readers. Reading is the gateway to so many things in this world, and these resources will truly help my students on their journeys as readers.

Help make our classroom a place where reading is loved and reading time is special.

If we can help my students find a love of reading now, then there is no telling how far it will take them. I can only imagine their excitement when they walk into their classroom to find a place where reading is cherished and they can find comfort, despite any things they may be facing at home. My students face so many obstacles, and with this project you can help take reading off of that list.