From Diana Neff, 8th Grade Reading Teacher
8th grade readers at Boston Middle School are excited to announce a new addition to our classroom. Through the website DonorsChoose.org, we have received a donation of sixteen giant and cozy reading chairs. Although the various donors do not know the students personally, they were gracious in contributing to what I believe to be a worthy investment. To begin the process of creating a more comfortable reading environment, I posted a project request on the website:
“…Hilarious, lively, and thoughtful would be the best three adjectives to describe my students. As eighth graders, they are far more intuitive than they are given credit for. That being said, their comprehension level is not where it should be. My students struggle to really engage with texts, even when they have a choice in the material they prefer to read. My students are drawn to things that are new or seem fun, thus my request for bean bag chairs for them to read in…”
While I thought that receiving funding for something that may seem frivolous was unlikely, I decided to go ahead and take a shot in the dark anyway. After two months, our $500 project was completely funded! Now students at Boston Middle School will be able to enjoy the comforts of home as they wrap up with a good book in Reading.
“…Often, students dread going to school or a certain teacher's room. I want my room to be a place where students not only feel comfortable, but want to come and learn. I believe that by creating a more inviting learning environment I can really make a difference in the lives of my students.”