I am never one to ask for help from anyone. I don’t know and can’t really answer it right now. It will probably take some deep reflection to answer this one a few posts from now (not making any promises). What I can say is that when it comes to my classroom children, I get a little bit gutsier and I will ask. That’s exactly what I am doing here.
This past Friday I was in my classroom all alone when I looked to my left and glanced over at the library. It made me so sad. Had I noticed it? Yes, of course, I did but I have been so preoccupied getting the class organized, getting to know the scholars and getting the work done. I have been with them since January 5th and as a teacher, there are so many factors that go into coming into a classroom mid-year, actually 4 months into the school year.
Let’s fast forward back to those books. I am an avid reader, I love to be introduced to new authors and there isn’t anything better to me than seeing a child with a book. I really can’t explain the feeling but I get all warm and fuzzy inside. It gives me goosebumps to witness them read a page and make that connection. What can I say, I am a teacher-geek like that! I am all about books that those who follow me on Instagram and my stories know that I am always introducing my followers to new books. I have also written reviews here as well.
Moving my bookworm ways into the classroom definitely, has me feeling that I can do so much better for my scholars in this department and this is where you come in. This is where I reached out on DonorsChoose and created this project for these books. I have also completed a form on The Book Fairies that a good friend/colleague of mind reached out with. She also shared First Book with me as well and I registered my class. I am searching for more ways than one to assist my scholars.
As we move into more independent reading and assessing their reading levels we see that we need a variety of texts in the classroom. I always read aloud to them and I can see they really love that. My goal is to model that fluency, imagination, and that real love for book reading. We ask/answer questions and have “book talk”. I want them to be able to do this on their own when we are in D.E.A.R Time {Drop Everything And Read} and they are reading independently. I also want them to be able to read texts that are on their level and books that they are able to comprehend. This is why the books are so needed on so many levels. I want to service all of my scholars and make them feel successful, they deserve it.
I ask that you find it in your heart to share this post on your Instagram, Facebook page, Pinterest, within your stories and maybe someone else would love to lend a helping hand. Give to our classroom by February 17, 2018, and your donation will be doubled thanks to DonorsChoose.org. Just enter the code LIFTOFF during checkout and you’ll be matched dollar for dollar (up to $50).
My goal is to place books in the hands of my scholars, and all scholars so that reading books become a way of life, not a force of habit.
Thanking you always.
Your Partner In Education,
~Eileen~