I just know how amazing this community is, and think that together we can make a huge impact this year! Help me #clearthelist for all of these amazing teachers! I separated them by state just in case you want to support a teacher specifically in your area 🙂 Let’s do this!!
Arizona
Ms. Yasin’s Wishlist – “I am an English teacher for kinder through 8th grade in AZ. My students come from low to no income families that are struggling in difficult situations. Some are from Haiti and Mexico and have come here to escape dangerous situations and have a safe place to go to school. I’m trying so hard to make our classroom a safe and fun place for them to learn.”
Ms. Soto’s Wishlist – “I teach at a small, rural school in Arizona. Every classroom is a multi age classroom. I teach reading, writing, and social studies to a 5th/6th grade class and a 7th/8th grade class. The biggest challenge is finding activities and books that are appropriate for such a large age span. There is a lot of difference between a 9 year old and a 14 year and I have to find a way to make a classroom comfortable and welcoming for both groups. Multi-grade classrooms also mean that I loop (follow my students) for 4 years (5th,6th,7th,8th). I get to develop deep and meaningful relationship that last a long time. My first 8th grade class graduated last year and I got to watch all of them! It made my heart burst. I have included several “decor” items to my list- being extremely rural we don’t have all of the fun stores (or even a target close) to decorate our classrooms. My hope is to bring some of the things from my Amazon list into our work room for the other teachers to use as well!”
Ms. Castillo’s Wishlist – “This is my second year teaching 6th grade math and I love it! My favorite thing about teaching is creating relationships with such sweet kiddos. Last year was so hard; not only was I trying to figure out teaching during a pandemic— I also lost my husband in Dec. from COVID. It was a tough tough year but those students and their sweet faces was such a sunny spot in my time of darkness. To say I would be appreciative of receiving anything thing on my list would be an understatement.”
Ms. Stump’s Wishlist – “This is my 2nd year teaching Kindergarten and 5th year at my school. I work at a Title 1 school in Scottsdale, AZ. Many of our students receive Free & reduced breakfast and lunch. This year I started the year with 15 students and now have 18 – 4, 5, & 6 year olds.”
Ms. Russell’s Wishlist – “This is my first year teaching ever! It’s been my dream literally since I was 5. And I got my dream job – I’m teaching 5th grade at the school I graduated from and my mom teaches next door. How cool is that?! I have the SWEETEST group of kids. Actually, 4 years ago, I subbed in the school I am at. At that point I was in college for education thinking I wanted to teach high school English. I subbed in the 1st grade class for a couple weeks while the teacher had surgery and FELL IN LOVE with elementary. That class made me switch to wanting to teach elementary instead. And if you haven’t already done the math, that class is the class I’ll be teaching this year.”
Ms. Redd’s Wishlist – “I have 28 kids in my class. I’ve taught 1st Grade for the last 9 years and am just making the switch this year to 2nd Grade. I’d love to have new books in my classroom and there are plenty on my wishlist.”
Ms. Malone’s Wishlist – “I’m going into my 5th year of teaching but second year at my current school as a 3rd grade teacher. I teach at a specialized school for Deaf and Hard of Hearing student. Unfortunately, many of our students aren’t able to afford school supplies or books and will often come the first weeks of school with an empty backpack! But, My students love reading books together and creating STEM projects!”
Arkansas
Ms. Smith’s Wishlist – “I’m an occupational therapist in the public schools in Little Rock, AR. I support students with various special needs including autism, Downs Syndrome, ADHD, and physical disabilities. My goal is always to support the student and teacher and find ways for the student to be most successful in their learning environment.”
Ms. Scott’s Wishlist – “I am a 4th grade teacher at a small town in Arkansas! This will be my 13th year teaching. I teach Math and Science. I love my students and love doing fun things to make their 4th grade year special.”
Ms. Mitchell’s Wishlist – “I’d love to share my amazing sister’s list. Melissa is a 4th grade teacher and a mom of 4–2 sets of identical twins! 6 year old girls and 1 year old boys. Melissa and her husband Jason are awesome parents and they are both teachers and I would love to bless them by helping her with her teacher’s wishlist this year. Melissa teaches in Arkansas and will be teaching a 4th grade
California
Ms. Kelejian’s Wishlist – “I am a TK/Kindergarten teacher in California. I am returning back to the classroom after many years being a part time employee. I am starting from scratch and need basically everything to run a successful classroom. There are lots of books and hands on manipulatives for my littles to use. I really appreciate any support you can offer my classroom. You will have 27 very happy kindergarten students in California with your support! My sweet kindergarten students will be so excited that a stranger thought of them and helped them to be more successful. Nothing makes kindergarteners feel more important than being acknowledged that someone else thought they are special. You are empowering my students by your generosity! I am forever grateful!”
Ms. Thompson’s Wishlist – “I teach 3rd grade in a low income district in Central California. My students and their parents are dedicated to their education and work so hard to help their students in every way that they can. Our district is amazing and provides us as much as they can when it comes to classroom supplies and anything else our students need. Every school year, tons of teachers spend their own money to buy items for their classrooms. I love to make my classroom a place where students feel welcome and at home. Tons of these items will make my classroom feel like our home away from home. Some of these sweet students don’t have a place to call their own and I try to do my best to make my classroom just that for them. Someplace to call their own.”
Ms. Coolbear’s Wishlist – “I am a 3rd grade teacher in central California. I work at a title one school which means the majority of my students come from low income homes. My goal is to create an environment where my students feel comfortable and safe. They items on my wish list will help improve the environment in our classroom as well as provide additional learning tools that will support in the learning we are doing.”
Ms. Saldana’s Wishlist – “I am starting my 18th year of 4th grade in a little more than a week! I teach in Gilroy, California where nearly 60% of my students qualify for free and reduced lunch due to their families’ income. I love teaching 4th grade because they are the perfect age. They get my humor, but they are still innocent, sweet, and they love school!The past 2 years has been rough. I look forward to heading back to full time in person instruction in just 10 days. We love books, art, science & history and I can’t wait to meet my new class! Thank you again for working to make this a great year after such a trying time for everyone!”
Ms. Villanueva’s Wishlist – “I’ve been a teacher since 1995 & (along with the rest of the world) these past two school years were THE MOST CHALLENGING EVER! Kids felt it, families felt it, teachers felt it, even our pets felt it! I so excited to get my kids back!! I know my first priority will be their social/emotional health…then we’ll worry about our academic catch up…but we’ll be together and not across screens and THAT has me THE MOST EXCITED for a new school year since I can’t remember when! I teach 6th grade math & science at a 6-8 grade middle school in Southern California.”
Ms. Anadon’s Wishlist – “I am from the Central Coast of California. This is my 4th year teaching in a Moderate/Severe Special Education classroom. I teach grades 3rd-6th at Joe Nightingale Elementary School. I absolutely love what I do, although these past years have not been a picnic. People don’t realize the thousands of dollars that teachers spend of their own money every single year. Being with the kids makes it all worthwhile. It is a tough job that I feel blessed to do everyday!”
Ms. Mintz’s Wishlist – “This will be my 3rd year teaching elementary school…but really with COVID closures, it feels more like my first year since my first year was only just a couple of months (I started in January 2020) and then last year was all Zoom distance learning. I taught 2nd grade for those first two years and now this year I’ve moved up to 5th grade. I teach at a Title I school in Southern California… in a small(ish) military town named Twentynine Palms. It is the neighboring town to the popular Joshua Tree National Park…way out in the hot, hot desert. The school I teach at has a very diverse population of about 500 students and a great staff. I’m fortunate to work for a school and district that supplies our students with the basic supplies, such as paper, pencils, glue, crayons, and such to get through the curriculum. The rest falls onto the teachers. I consider myself to be a crafty person so I make a lot of the “extras” for my students. I spend a great deal of time off-hours putting together engaging lessons that add in art, science, and social studies activities with the core classes of language arts and math. The more hands on the students can be with a lesson, the better!”
Ms. Smolinskis’s Wishlist – “I teach middle school Drama and English in California. I absolutely love my job. I’m looking forward to meeting my students in person next week. Thank you for your support!”
Ms. Howard’s Wishlist – “I teach at a private Christian school in Southern California and will have 24 little firsties in a little under 3 weeks! We don’t have the government funding so our budget is a bit tight. We also don’t have resources available so the needs of my students will vary greatly! It would be so nice to have a cozy homey environment with lots of supplies to meet each of their needs!”
Ms. Jimenez’s Wishlist – “I am beyond excited to return back to class after distance learning! This school year I will be teaching at the high school I graduated from in Redlands, CA, and I am thrilled about that. I will be teaching English 9 and English 10. The only thing on my list that I desperately need is a printer. My classroom does not have one. When I asked about it, the tech person at my school said that teachers just buy their own. The school does have a printer that everyone shares, but I would love to have one in my classroom.”
Ms. Arnold’s Wishlist – “I teach in Vista, California and I teach Kindergarten 5 and 6 year olds 🙂 I teach in a low income area Title I school where a lot of my families struggle to afford basic school supplies”
Ms. Scherer’s Wishlist – “I’m a kindergarten teacher at a private school with the passion to teach a love of reading and learning. It is important to build that love early so that we set up our students for success in future education. My amazon list is primarily books as I’m trying to build my class library with books that teach and inspire”
Colorado
Ms. Crosthwait’s Wishlist – “Thank you so much for doing this! I teach first grade in Aurora, CO to some of the best kids around! My school is diverse with mostly second language learners and refuge students. It is also a low-income and title 1 school. My students are excited to start the school year but often lack supplies and materials. The materials I’m asking for are for daily use, to teach and embrace diversity, and to practice mindfulness.”
Conneticut
Ms. Harrison’s Wishlist – “I’m a 2nd grade teacher in a title 1 school in Connecticut. Most of my students are given free breakfast and lunch and many are sent home with food for dinner. I try to have my classroom be bright and inviting so the kiddos can be successful in the classroom and also in life. I want to be a light in their lives and want them to come to school for the academic and social benefits. This year will be my fourth year teaching and I am really looking forward to starting this year off on the right foot.”
Florida
Ms. Roache’s Wishlist – “I am a 7th grade Math teacher in a STEAM program at Lake Asbury Junior high. I have the pleasure of utilizing science, technology, engineering, art and math throughout my lessons. My team and I teach through Project Based Learning, we allow the kids to take ownership of their learning through creative projects. Our goal this school year is to teach them about all of the STEAM careers out there. For example, for one of the projects students will be opening up their very own food trucks and will learn how to pitch an idea to bankers, how to utilize that money to open one up, and about loans. My students have driven, bright minds and love learning through creativity.”
Ms. Withers’s Wishlist – “While masking and safety protocols will be in place, I’m *hoping* we can return to more traditional learning, including hands-on activities every unit like candle making and dried flower art in the colonial life unit! Fun, right?! More than anything, please send good vibes to teachers all over the country, their families and students that we can be protected from Covid and we can have a safe and wonderful school year.”
Ms. Barquero’s Wishlist – “I am a high school teacher in Jensen Beach, Fl. This year I am going from teaching only Spanish 1 to teaching 4 different levels of Spanish. These supplies will all support my endeavors in teaching Spanish 2,3,4 and AP Language and Culture. Gracias!”
Ms. LaRow’s Wishlist – “I’ve been teaching kindergarten for 6 years and I moved across country a month ago and got a new teaching position teaching first grade 2 weeks ago! I’m excited to start at a new school! I wanted to be intentional with the items in my list and chose things that will benefit my students this year to make a fun and safe learning environment.”
Georgia
Mr. Selin’s Wishlist – “This is my first year teaching art in Covington, GA. I have over 200 students with not much of a budget. For art to be fun, we need supplies”
Idaho
Mr. Christensen’s Wishlist – “I am a high school special education teacher in southeast Idaho. I teach a classroom with students on all levels of learning. I look forward each and every year to seeing the growth in my students as they learn new skills. I have compiled a list of supplies that my classroom uses a lot though out the year.”
Ms. Cornwall’s Wishlist – “I am a high school English teacher in Pocatello, Idaho. This is my second year teaching and to say my first year was a doozie would be an understatement. Amidst hybrid learning and regulations, I had a baby! My first baby I am hoping that this year is a little bit more calm.”
Ms. Doman’s Wishlist – “I am a first-grade teacher in Idaho Falls, Idaho! I absolutely love my job and the accomplishments that each individual student reaches. It is really exciting to see the progress that each student makes throughout the first grade year. Both of my grandparents on my mom’s side were teachers. I had wonderful teachers growing up, but I think ultimately it was through my dad’s job that I really found my passion … I have been fortunate enough to attend many testimonials of people who made it out of poverty because of the influence of their teachers and education. I wanted to be a safe place for children.”
Ms. Roth’s Wishlist – “I teach 6th and 7th grade math at a Title 1 (low income) school in north Idaho! I work hard to make learning math relevant in order to make math class lose it’s bad name! In order to make my class fun and pertain to the lives of all students, I use many things to build classroom culture and encourage creativity.”
Ms. Johansson’s Wishlist – “I am a 4th grade teacher in Idaho. I have been teaching 1st grade the past few years and got moved to 4th grade last year. After spending lots of my own money on building my first grade library and materials, I don’t have very many books or materials that work in 4th grade. I work at a great school that has amazing teachers and staff. We have great students and some great parents. We are currently at over 600 students at our school that was built to hold 470. Our area is growing like crazy. As teachers, we are not allowed to ask for any supplies that are not the basics, due to a lawsuit against our district. A parent in the district believes that since it is a “free education”, the parents should not have to pay for their children to have supplies at school. We aren’t allowed to ask for Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, prize box items, books, etc. due to this lawsuit.”
Illinois
Ms. Morales’s Wishlist – “I teach at an alternative high school in East St. Louis, IL. I teach 11th and 12th grade English. One in every three young people in East St. Louis comes from a family that makes less than $15,000 per year. Generational poverty and lack of resources in the city are a barrier to success for my students that I try my hardest to support them in & break down. Up until this year when we moved into a new building, my students have never had a school library. The only books available to them were the ones I provide in my classroom. Reading levels range from 3rd to high school levels, so I would love to provide them as many options as possible for choice reading that are accessible and allow them to feel motivated in person of literary success. We have food and hygiene products on the wishlist as well because I keep a good & hygiene closet in my room to make necessity bags for students when they need it. Items ranging from tooth flood, body wash, crackers, and slim Jim’s all go into weekend bags so they never have to worry.”
Ms. Drazen’s Wishlist – “this is my third year teaching. I started in first grade, minced to second grade the next year and am now back in first! Lots of packing, moving and stress added to the already stressful past few years but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I absolutely love my job and all my kiddos!”
Ms. Schmillen Wishlist – “I teach at a small catholic school where we have one class per grade level. I am lucky enough to be able to teach my kids and absolutely love it there. My school has a large percentage of low income students who are there on scholarships or reduced tuition and 40 percent are ESL. Mostly Spanish speaking. This is my 4th year there and o have taught different things each year. Last year was very rough on me as a teacher and I am hoping this year can be better. I am teaching 6-8 grade social studies and k-3 p.e.”
Ms. Cole’s Wishlist – “I am a new, first time mom and am looking to give my 2 classrooms some TLC after a year and a half of remote learning. I teach k-5 in a low income school district. These kiddos love coming to school and learning new things! I can’t wait to welcome them back this school year, hopefully with some fun and exciting things! They deserve so much!”
Indiana
Ms. Bowman’s Wishlist – “I am a librarian at at title one school in rural Indiana. Our school is a preschool-3rd grade. I have over 50% of my population that qualifies for free or reduced price lunches. I love my kiddos, and I am always trying to find ways to get them engaged, and try to find their love for reading! I try to incorporate fun books, character plushies and bulletin boards to get them excited!”
Iowa
Ms. VonStein’s Wishlist – “I teach 3rd grade at a diverse elementary school in central Iowa. Close to 20 different languages are spoken at Crestview School of Inquiry, with 49.7% of our students receiving ESOL services. The school community (families & staff) makes it an AMAZING place to teach! About 75% of our population qualifies for free or reduced lunch. While basic supplies like pencils & crayons are donated most years, more specific supplies like composition books & highlighters and/or items to create a more inviting classroom space are often purchased by teachers on our own dime. In addition, I’m trying to broaden my classroom library to include books that represent the diversity of my students, as well as titles that support social-emotional health.”
Ms. Walker’s Wishlist – “I am a 5th grade Social Studies teacher in Charles City, Iowa. Our district is very low socioeconomic. We have over 75% of our students on free and reduced lunches. Our student population is very diverse. Last year I had 4 different languages as primary languages for students in my classroom. This year our class sizes will be around 25.”
Ms. Judas’s Wishlist – “I’m getting ready for my 6th year teaching! I wanted to share my Amazon wishlists this year because I am moving grade levels and there are lots of different things that would benefit my kindergarten students!”
Ms. Eynon’s Wishlist – “I teach 2nd grade along with my best friend/teaching partner Kelli Forney! We have been teaching 2nd grade for 4 years together in my home town in Iowa! We teach in separate rooms but we do a lot of things together so we like to refer to each other as team teachers! I love having someone to work so close with and bounce ideas off of! We combined our Amazon lists into one list this year & have found so many great items to help our classroom become complete!”
Ms. Clark’s Wishlist – “I am a first grade teacher in Iowa. This is my 10th year! I have a passion for teaching kiddos how to read and helping them find a love and passion for books! I am working on building out my classroom library in two ways. 1) To incorporate more books with diverse characters. Different families, cultures, skin colors, abilities. Representation matters and I want my students to see themselves in the characters of our classroom books. This is something I’m very passionate about! 2) I’m working on building up a collection of early chapter books. Once reading really “clicks” for students it’s great to have a wide variety of books that catch their interest. I am lacking in this area and would love any help in bringing in more books.”
Ms. Wenck’s Wishlist – “I’m going into my first year as school counselor, but have taught high school science for ten years. I need completely new materials to help my students in ways our old school counselor wasn’t willing or able to. So many are struggling socially and emotionally right now and I’m working on gathering supplies to support that skill development and to create a welcoming environment for them. Many come from unsupportive or low income homes and need love, support, and education to be successful beyond high school.”
Ms. Cornwell’s Wishlist – “Last March when schools closed down I suddenly had kids in my daycare that needed a “teacher”. Our school district tried to do a good job sending home packet work however the parents were attempting to work from home. I stayed open during the pandemic and started to help them with their schoolwork. Three kids needed my assistance one first grade and two kids preschool. I realized I don’t have the proper tools to help them fully. Such as limited fine motor skill activities. Learning with “play” vs paper activities. Learning resources has a great collection I’ve slowly been buying. After the last year I started offering preschool at my in home daycare as a lot of my family’s have choose not to send their kids to school without a vaccine available for their age. I will have 3 4 year olds to work with this school year.”
Kansas
Ms. Powers’s Wishlist – “I teach 2nd grade in Augusta Kansas. This is my 12th year teaching. It’s a small town and a title 1 school. Unfortunately our number of students in school has dropped significantly since covid which cuts our funding. We didn’t have the money this year for things like laminating and construction paper. These are things I’ve always taken for granted that have been so readily available in the past!”
Louisiana
Ms. Duchesne’s Wishlist – “I am starting my first year of teaching in first grade in Louisiana with minimal supplies and I would appreciate so much if you would share my teacher list. It’s rather small, and contains some things I would love to have starting my first year.”
Ms. Estis’s Wishlist – “I teach 6th grade math and science at a low income school in Louisiana. I have two children. I just finished my masters in the art of teaching. For the last 18 months I have juggled my family, online classes, and my internship at the local Jr. high school. I am glad to be finished with my degree and excited to begin my first year of teaching! If you cannot buy something from my list, I would greatly appreciate your prayers. I want to be successful at leading my students to academic success but beyond that I want to make a difference in their lives. I want each of my students to know that I care about them and want to see them thrive in and out of school.”
Ms. Vincent’s Wishlist – “I teach US History and World Geography to 10th and 11th graders at Iowa High (Louisiana). This will be my 10th year teaching and last year by far was the hardest and it’s looking like this year won’t be any easier so ANY help is appreciated and such a blessing for my students!”
Ms. Levert’s Wishlist – “I’ve been teaching for 11 years. JAG, is Jobs For America’s Graduates. We focus on keeping these kids in school and getting them set up with a post secondary opportunity. It’s important that I make good connections with these kids as I have to keep up with them 1 year after they graduate. Feeding them snacks, doing fun activities throughout the school year help me make that connection.”
Maryland
Ms. Aebersold’s Wishlist – “I teach first grade at a low income school with many English Language Learners. I only taught first grade for about 1.5 years before being sent home to teach virtually. I remained teaching virtual last year so that I could help my dad who was diagnosed with cancer. While I was teaching virtually last year another teacher used my classroom, so I am now tasked with putting back together a welcoming and engaging classroom for my new class. I would love to provide my students with different seating options since most are not used to sitting at a desk all day (and some are just not able) and we are also in need of indoor recess activities as I used to pair with the teacher next door who had many activities and we are no longer able to join together with the current rules.”
Massachusetts
Ms. Sullivan’s Wishlist – “This will be my 11th year teaching kindergarten. I teach in Springfield MA where all my students get free breakfast and lunch. Many kids get food bags on the weekend. Often times in am stuffing bags at the end of the day with snacks I get at the grocery store or left over muffins and juice from breakfast.
My goal every year is to make sure my students feel safe and know they are LOVED. I try to make my classroom a safe home for them. We become a family. We accept all of each other’s good bad and differences. Any help and support would be truly amazing. I strive to show my students a fun yet welcoming environment that they can be proud of.”
Michigan
Ms. Flannery’s Wishlist – “I teach at a school called Oakbrook in Sterling Heights, Michigan (it’s a suburb of Detroit). I am currently entering my 18th year teaching. I have taught kindergarten, 1st, and 5th grade and this year I start a new adventure in 2nd!”
Ms. Rakowski’s Wishlist – “I teach a 1st and 2nd grade combo class in a high poverty school district in Michigan. This past year and a half my school community has been hit hard by COVID. Our students have lost many family members and people close to them. They have been out of school since the beginning of March of 2020 and have been learning virtually. That means my first graders will never have attended school In person and my second graders only attended for 5 months! Parents are very hesitant to send them back to school this fall with numbers in our area still high. I am looking to purchase supplies to be able to create individual supply bins and free time bins for the students to use. This will minimize the spread of germs and hopefully keep students healthy and in school.”
Minnesota
Mr. Youngberg’s Wishlist – “I am a high school physical education teacher in a small, rural community. It is a high poverty school and I teach freshman and one elective class. I love my job and enjoy getting to know these high schoolers. The items I have on my wishlist would replace some of our very worn out equipment and provide some new opportunities. The students really like to learn new games and be active.”
Ms. Ronkin’s Wishlist – “I am a special education teacher and work with students with high level of needs in Minnesota. I love my students and feel so fortunate to be their teacher. Given their level of needs, I require a lot of supplies and hands on materials each year for my students”
Ms. Wood’s Wishlist – “I teach 1st grade in a small Title 1 school in central Minnesota. I greatly appreciate any help. I am trying to provide more hands on/sensory opportunities to my students and also need some math manipulatively.”
Ms. Nowak’s Wishlist – “I am a first-year teacher who will be teaching 2nd Grade in St. Paul, MN. The school that I work at is a creative arts magnet school so we try to integrate the arts into our curriculum as much as possible. I love that we are a creative arts school because it makes learning really fun and allows students the opportunity to be creative. My school is a Title 1 school and many (around 90%) of our students are on free and reduced lunch so extra support is always appreciated. My school is such a special place for me and so many of our students. I am so excited to build relationships with my second graders and create a classroom where learning is fun and accessible. I believe that providing a safe space for students to take risks and be themselves is foundational to helping each one of my students succeed. As a recent graduate, it is overwhelming to think of purchasing all of the things I need for my classroom. On my list, I have a variety of items and a lot of books. I have chosen these books because they are books that feature diverse characters and books that can spark important conversations about valuing and respecting one another. I really want to provide my students with the tools and resources they need to be successful this year.”
Ms. Swenson’s Wishlist – “I work at a low income school with the most amazing students. School is the safest and most stable place they have in their lives. Their stories break my heart, but I feel called to this profession. There are definite struggles, but the resiliency of my students and things we have accomplished are astounding. The items on this list are for myself and my co-teacher. My co-teacher is in her second year of teaching and also pregnant. We would share all the books and supplies.”
Missouri
Ms. Jelovic’s Wishlist – “I teach 4th Grade at a diverse and transient elementary school in St. Louis, Missouri. I taught virtually last year and many of my classroom books were not returned. I want to use this as an opportunity to replace them with newer and more current books. I am continually trying to diversity my classroom library and book clubs. Each year, I spend money to ensure my students’ basic are met. This does not leave a lot of extra money to purchase new items and books. My classroom community is focused around books and I want to instill the love of reading and literature within my students.”
Ms. Cardwell’s Wishlist – “I teach in Independence, MO.. don’t know where that is? It’s next to Kansas City, Missouri. I teach in an area of Independence that once was a thriving suburb and is now considered a high risk urban area. My students are considered at risk because of their location, poverty, and many of them have just traveled here from across the border and speak little or no English. My students and families are incredible. They work SO hard to get what their kids need. Sometimes it isn’t the fancy school supplies or clothes it’s food or the utility bill. But they love their kids, they’re doing their best. I love my community of families and their kids and the staff I work with.”
Ms. Wilmoth’s Wishlist – “I teach 7th grade English at a Title 1 school in Missouri. I hope to clear my list and provide books and supplies for students in my classroom.”
Ms. Walker’s Wishlist – “I teach 5th grade at a rural school in Southeast Missouri. This school year will be my 16th year in education. We are a title 1 school and the majority of the students we service come from low income families living in poverty. Most of my students lack the basic needs, support, and encouragement they need to succeed. That’s just one of the reasons why I feel it is so important to make my classroom inviting and fun. I have several students every year that struggle with ADHD and other behavioral needs which has motivated me to include flexible seating options. I’ve included a few more flexible seating options on my wishlist to help my students that need to move while working. It never ceases to amaze me how many kiddos come in to my life every year that become my own. I truly make lifelong connections with them.”
Ms. Smith’s Wishlist – ” I teach 3, 4, and 5 year olds with special needs in Kansas City, Missouri. I have a range of students in my classroom that may be diagnosed with autism, down syndrome, spina bifida, speech and language disorders, behavior disorders, visual impairments, hearing impairments, and overall they are a young child with a developmental delay. In my classroom, those characteristics about them are not what we focus on and we really work on building a classroom community and letting each child’s strengths shine. My goal creating this wish list is to provide my young students with novel toys and learning experiences that will improve their ability to meet their needs and individual goals.”
Ms. Sibert’s Wishlist – “I’m a fifth year high school mathematics teacher. I teach geometry and integrated mathematics to mainly sophomores and juniors. I would like to make my classroom more engaging and colorful for my students. I love teaching math and want to help my students learn to love to math too.”
Ms. Hurt’s Wishlist – ” I am a kindergarten teacher-am I crazy? Probably. But, spending my days with curious little humans brings me so much joy! I work hard and love harder! My classroom? Imagine a whimsical setting where students can fall in love with learning over and over everyday. A place where students can share their thoughts and dreams together as a classroom community. My little kindergarten friends are learning to dive into books and explore them to their full potential. They are learning to be mathematicians and scientists. My students are in a Title 1 school where many students come from a poverty background.”
Ms. Nelson’s Wishlist – “I am a second year Special Education Teacher. I teach in Cape Girardeau, MO and my school is very low income. I primarily serve students with severe behaviors in grades K-2 with a range of disabilities such as Autism, Down syndrome, Intellectual Disability, and Emotionally Disturbed. I typically have 5 assistants to help in my room because my case load is pretty heavy – 21 last year, 17 this year. The things on my list are items that will help with teaching emotional regulation, giving our students sensory input, and items that help create curriculum that we use with our kids!”
Montana
Ms. Jones’s Wishlist – “I teach second grade at a small K-5 elementary school in Helena, Montana. This will be my fifth year teaching! Our class sizes are on the smaller to average range, which allows me to provide more one-on-one time with my students. My favorite part of teaching is being able to create a safe spot, my classroom, for those students who unfortunately have an extremely difficult home life. Making each student want to come to school everyday is my goal. Loving on my littles is my favorite and most rewarding aspect of my job!d grate at a small school in Helena, Montana!”
Ms. Lawn’s Wishlist – “I’m a first year Special Ed teacher in Montana. I continue to go to college to higher my education for my students and become better for them. I study at MSU alongside teaching. I have the best, most rewarding job in the world.”
Nebraska
Ms. Blum’s Wishlist – “I’m a 4th grade teacher of 18 years, from Nebraska. I’m so excited to meet and learn with my students this year. On our wish list, you will find things that will help make learning fun”
Nevada
Ms. Setterstrom’s Wishlist – “I work with elementary aged autistic kids and kids with severe learning disabilities in Nevada! At our school our titles don’t matter! We are a team of women who want to see these young kids grow and learn and teach their full abilities! Some will move on to general education while some will move on to life skills! At the end of the day their journey starts and ends with us!”
Ms. Valdez’s Wishlist – “this is my second year teaching Kindergarten in North Las Vegas. (Which yes means my first year was a crazy virtual/in person/mask adventure) I am all about interactive learning. I think kindergartners learn best by playing and crafting and I’m often called the craft queen. My classroom is all things llamas, cacti and sports (which includes llamas in different sports attire)”
Ms. Theis’s Wishlist – “I am a 6th year teacher. I currently teach 2nd graders and absolutely adore this age. It is so fun to watch them learn and grow throughout the year. I teach at Fay Galloway ES in Henderson NV. I have a class size of 15 students currently, which is pretty small for us. We have had a huge drop in student enrollment”
New Jersey
Ms. Dowd’s Wishlist – “I am a first grade teacher from the Jersey Shore. I have been teaching first grade since I was right out of college. I am about to start my 16th year. First grade is the most amazing grade to teach. The students are eager to please and ready to learn. They think getting homework is exciting, smelly stickers rock and they can get onboard with just about anything we try. One of their favorite prizes they can earn is twin with the teacher day. We plan our outfit the night before and come to school rocking the same as me on the next day. The thought that they save up their good behavior tickets to do that is not lost on me. What a huge impact we have on them! One of the hardest but most meaningful part of my job is teaching kids how to read. The English language has so many phonics rules and exceptions to rules. It’s challenging and last year teaching kids how to read through a mask was really really hard. My students never gave up and either did I. It looks like in New Jersey we have to start our school year in masks again. A classroom motto I have is “you can do hard things”. I will not give up on them because I know they won’t either. The items on my list are some things that will help our classroom feel like a home away from home and make our year run smoother.”
New York
Ms. Kuc’s Wishlist – ” I’m a middle school Spanish teacher in a rural school district. We are given a very small budget to purchase a few things so this would be such a blessing for my students! Muchas gracias!!”
North Carolina
Ms. Hamilton’s Wishlist – “I am a teacher from a small town in NC. I am the lead teacher at my school which means I mentor and support the other teachers in our school. We are a Title one school with 80% of our students qualifying for free and reduced lunch. I am passionate about building relationships with my students and providing high quality literature to my students.”
Ms. Catoe’s Wishlist – “I teach South Carolina. I teach in the school district that I attended school. This will be my ninth year and I will be teaching third grade. Last school year I was the fully online third grade teacher. I came to school but taught 24 third graders through a computer screen for 180 days. I will be back to in person this school year and I’ve been moved to a new classroom (a much larger one)”
Ms. Kama’s Wishlist – “Hi I am a 5th year, 5th grade teacher in North Carolina! I am married to an Army Veteran and we have two boys! I created a list to help provide more books for my classroom library! I believe that a good book can fix any bad day and that any student will learn to fall in love with reading, they just have to find the right book! I read a picture book a day to my students and share with them new genres and characters they’ve never heard of before!”
Ms. Lemons’s Wishlist – “I have been teaching for 21 years in NC and I am starting my 2nd year in 3rd grade. My wishlist has a lot of books for my classroom library.”
Mr. Pate’s Wishlist – “I am a high school teacher entering my ninth year and I’m starting with a new school in a new state. This year I’m tackling US History as well as two classes of the Holocaust and Other Genocides. My school qualifies as Title I and many of our kids deal with significant struggles at home. This is my first year for doing a wish list and it feels weird to ask, but these resources will greatly help me give my students opportunities to succeed.”
Ohio
Ms. Bailey’s Wishlist – “I am a 1st grade teacher in Youngstown, Ohio. I teach at an urban charter school! It is my first year in a classroom as I taught virtually last year. I am so excited to make it cozy!”
Ms. Finn’s Wishlist – “I am from Cleveland, Ohio. I have been teaching 3rd grade for 9 years at a private Catholic school. This pst school year we managed to do a full school year in person, while also teaching some students remote during the pandemic. My students continued to show up every day with smiles on their faces giving it their all. Everyday isn’t rainbows and sunshine, but I would do absolutely do anything to see my students smile and to help them succeed!”
Oklahoma
Ms. Walsh’s Wishlist – “I am in my 5th year of teaching. I currently teach 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Language Arts and Reading at a very small (around 200 kids) K-8 school in rural Oklahoma. My administration is so great about doing special things for our underprivileged students, but I would love to get a few newer things for my classroom. I am specifically trying to build some new novel sets to read as a class. A lot of my novel sets are very old. My students enjoy reading some more current things in addition to the classics we read.”
Oregon
Ms. Mejia’s Wishlist – “I am an early childhood special education teacher in a rural school district. I teach inclusive preschool and focus strongly on social skills. I am entering my 9th year teaching and love my job. Special education is extremely underfunded. Our district focuses on spending money on staff so that we can provide as many services as possible to the families in our program. This often means that we have a tight budget for materials. I have three young children at home and I am constantly using their toys and belongings in my classroom.”
Pennsylvania
Ms. Shopf’s Wishlist – “I just graduated from west chester university in may, so I’m headed into my very first year as a teacher! I will be teaching in inner city for the school district of philadelphia. My students will be coming from predominantly lower socioeconomic status’. With that being said, my biggest goal is to create a welcoming and safe environment to ensure that they LOVE school.”
Ms. Kelly’s Wishlist – “I teach high school math in Erie, PA. In my school, I am known as the teacher that has anything a student may need and also have the most comfortable room in the school. I bought circle chairs, ottomans, pillows, rugs, etc and completely redid my room to make it a comfortable and safe space for my students. The flexible seating allows them to sit wherever they’d like during class. Also, two years ago, I started my “SOS Bin”. It is filled with toiletries, hygiene products, hair supplies, clothes (of all sizes), and snacks. The kids know that it is the bin is for THEM and they can grab whatever they need throughout the day without having to ask.”
Ms. Burd’s Wishlist – “We are Bearcat BEST, a transitional program for 17-21 year olds with intellectual disabilities on the campus of St Vincent College in Latrobe, PA . e provide academic and vocational training to prepare our students to become productive members of society. Our students work on academic skills and participate in on- campus jobs as well as externships in the community. Upon graduation from our three- year program, we help students obtain employment in their communities. We are integrated into campus life so that our students are able to be with their same-age neurotypical peers instead of staying at their high school while their class mates move on to college or the workplace.”
Ms. Weleski’s Wishlist – “I am the High School (grades 9-12) Life Skills teacher in my district! I also run the Best Buddies program and am the head coach for Unified Bocce (Special Olympics). I typically have my students for 4-6 years, so it would be so helpful to be able to bring some new supplies / materials into the classroom!”
Ms. Minman’s Wishlist – “I am a 2nd grade teacher in Pennsylvania. I teach at a small rural school with the most amazing colleagues and best students around. I am super excited to get this year going so that we can get back some normalcy in the schools. I miss the assemblies, field trips, concerts and plays. Those things are my favorite parts of being a teacher. We did half days this past year so I only got to spend 3 hours with the kids. I had such limited time with them to get the core academics in, we had to miss out on a lot of the fun stuff. Last year definitely took a toll on me, but I am looking forward to getting my groove back!”
Ms. Simmon’s Wishlist – “I’m in my 19th year of teaching but this is my first year teaching kindergarten!!!!! I will have approximately 20 students when we start at the end of August. My students are eager learners and I am so excited for the year to start!”
Ms. Collins’s Wishlist – “I have been teaching 2nd grade for 6 years and have been at my school for 10 years. The building I serve in is in a very low socioeconomic area and the lowest in our county. We provide all of the supplies for our students because a lot of them do not have the means. My goal every year is to provide a fun and safe environment for my kids to learn in and forget about any worries or stress they may have at home.”
South Carolina
Ms. Kennon’s Wishlist – ” am a 3rd grade public school teacher in downtown Charleston, SC. I teach at a magnet school where students are selected from all across Charleston County. My class is a diverse group of students, and I am trying to get diverse books into my kiddos hands.”
Tennessee
Ms. Powell’s Wishlist – “We are a rural county in East TN. We would be grateful for any donations to our first-grade classroom. We are a wonderful group of students starting out our school career full of joy, curiosity, and wonder. Your donation will help us fulfill the love of learning through exploration and experiences that we might not otherwise have the opportunity. Just to share a little bit about our wish list: we were given a wonderful printer, but we don’t have the ink for it. Our building was built in 1897 and our classroom could greatly benefit from a dehumidifier; we have children with many sensory issues so fluorescent light covers would be so helpful. Many of our children need food for the weekend, so snacks and water bottles are sent home each Friday.”
Ms. Durham’s Wishlist – “I just graduated with my bachelors degree this past May, so this will be my first year teaching and I am super excited! I am teaching first grade in West Tennessee! Starting out as a new teacher, I don’t have the items and tools that other teachers have because I am creating my own classroom for the very first time.”
Ms. Paris’s Wishlist – “I taught HS science for 6 years but after having my 3rd baby decided to stay home! I LOVE science and teaching and have really missed it! This year I will be teaching a couple of homeschool biology and chemistry classes and am so excited! I want to give them the same awesome science experience they would get if they were in a traditional classroom!”
Ms. Beth’s Wishlist – “I’m a 3rd grade teacher at a rural school in Tennessee (our playground is right next to a corn field).This is such a sweet thing for you to offer! A lot of the families at our school are low income, but very proud and rarely ask for help. I would love to offer so much more for my kids”
Texas
Ms. Stewart’s Wishlist – “I am so excited to start the school year in kindergarten. I am fortunate to work with some awesome kids at a title 1 school. I love teaching kindergarten because this is where they start their love for learning. We read lots of books and do lots of hands-on learning and activities.”
Ms. Finn’s Wishlist – “I’m a 2nd grade teacher in Fort Worth, Texas. I moved campuses this year and am excited to meet my students in a little over a week! My biggest focus is instilling a passion for reading. I have 2 lists. One is books, one is things for my classroom. I am also starting desk pets this year. Students will adopt a ‘pet’ (animal eraser) and they can earn food and accessories to give to their pets.”
Ms. Johnson’s Wishlist – ” I am about to start my 7th year teaching. I teach 2nd grade in a title one school. My mom was a teacher so teaching is just in my blood. I can’t imagine doing anything else! I currently have 19 students and I can’t wait to meet them this Thursday for meet the teacher!”
Ms. Willig’s Wishlist – “I’m about to start my second year of teaching kindergarten. I am really looking forward to having a normal school year and being able to do all the fun kindergarten things that we didn’t get to do last year!”
Ms. Morgan’s Wishlist – “I’m going into my fifth year teaching fifth grade (my golden year!) I teach in a title 1 school district where over 75% of my students qualify for free/reduced lunch. My classroom is our happy place and I love to make it feel like a second home for my sweet kiddos.”
Ms. Ashley’s Wishlist – “This is going to be my second year teaching kindergarten. It’s been a total dream come true. God put it on my heart in first grade to become a teacher. And here I am, more than 30 years later finally living out that dream. I’m a single mom of 4 kiddos ages 13, 11, 7 and 4. I had the amazing opportunity to stay home for 12 years with our kids. And now, though life has felt completely upside down, God had been incredibly faithful. He has provided at every turn. I’d be so appreciative of any support for my little kinder classroom. I’m excited to build my library and hands-on learning experiences. I’m excited to have more “play” in my room since we didn’t get to experience much of that last year.”
Ms. Gaines’s Wishlist – “I am heading into my 13th year in education. In Texas, I taught 2nd grade, special education, and 4th grade prior to finishing my masters in library science and landing a middle school library job (my dream!). But then I met the man of my dreams…and he lived in northern Indiana. So I got married and moved…only to discover the schools in this area don’t use certified librarians. So I am headed back into the classroom, this time as a 6th grade language arts teacher! The kicker is that when I left the classroom for the library I gave literally everything away. Every bit of my classroom supplies went to other teachers in the building I left (in Texas), so I am starting completely from scratch (with less than I had my first year actually).”
Ms. Kimberly’s Wishlist – “This will be my first year as a teacher. I will be teaching High School Spanish! I am very excited, my first day is tomorrow. I started as a long term Spanish Substitute and over the summer they offered me the position.”
Utah
Mr. Marcia’s Wishlist – “Hi, my name is Sergio Macías and I’ve been teaching for 15 years. I teach at a mixed socieconomic status Junior high in Utah. I’m excited to start back to school and am looking for ways to help my students have the materials they need to make learning more fun.”
Ms. Zaugg’s Wishlist – ” teach in Santaquin Utah but live in Provo. My husband is in grad school at BYU so my salary is all we have to keep us afloat. We have two kiddos and another on the way. Our first two kiddos joined our family after dealing with fertility problems but this next little one was just a little surprise gift from God. I am entering my 7th year of teaching in a lower income school.”
Ms. Wallace’s Wishlist – “I am submitting this teacher wish list for my niece, McKay Wallace. She just graduated from Dixie State University in May 2021 and is 23 years old. This is her first year teaching and so she needs to build her classroom and fill it with all the essentials. Miss Wallace will be teaching 5th grade at Lakeview Elementary in Roy, Utah.”
Ms. Avila’s Wishlist – “I am a teacher in Utah and have been teaching for 12 years. I teach 2nd grade and love it! My kids come from a variety of financial and social situations. One of my favorite things about teaching is getting to know each one of them and their sweet personalities brighten even the hardest days.”
Ms. Farnsworth’s Wishlist – “I teach ESL at a low income school in Hyrum, Utah. My class consists of kindergarten-6th grade students who are learning English. We focus on the four domains of language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with many of our students we put an emphasis on writing instruction. We want them to build a strong foundation in English in Elementary school and give them confidence to succeed in High School and beyond. Several items on my list will be used to help encourage/motivate students in their behavior and participation in class.”
Ms. Daley’s Wishlist – “I will be a first year teacher this fall at an Elementary school teaching Special Education Resource. I will have students from kindergarten through 5th grade in my classroom. I will be providing interventions to help students with reading, math, social skills, and providing behavioral supports. Majority of my students come from low income area and have to endure rough lives outside of school. I want to create a positive safe learning environment in my classroom and make sure each student feels like they matter and they belong. I want to provide resources for them to feel successful in the classroom.”
Ms. Bollinger’s Wishlist – “I’m a first year teacher teaching 2nd Grade in Utah. I have a class of 25 students and I’m so excited to finally get in the classroom after years of dreaming!”
Ms. Orton’s Wishlist – “I teach 4th grade in Washington Utah. I am about to start my 3rd year of teaching. These last two years have been crazy and this year I am starting a new adventure of teaching Portuguese Dual Immersion. I will be teaching the english portion, but I will have two classes per day. My classes will consist of students who are starting their 4th year of learning Portugese. I am excited but also nervous about my new endeavour! Most of the things on my list are picture books. I have been working on building my personal library with awesome picture books that teach amazing lessons. Last year my students LOVED me reading them stories and talking about it. This year I would love to have more books to read to my class.”
Ms. Jones’s Wishlist – “I’m a first year speech therapist that is trying to get some books to help target sounds for my kids in Utah ages 3-11!”
Ms. Harper’s Wishlist – “I’m starting my second year teaching and being a first year teacher during COVID was a wild ride! I teach 8th grade math at Monticello Academy, a Title 1 school in West Valley, Utah. Lots of learning experiences last year, so I’m looking forward to making changes and improvements this year. “
Ms. Donohoe’s Wishlist – “I’m going to be a first year 4th grade teacher in Utah! I teach because I love children, but I also love to see them learn and grow, and I love watching them progress in their learning. My favorite thing about teaching is watching the “light bulb” turn on when my students are starting to understand concepts. I am super excited to start teaching, but I’m basically starting from scratch. I want to be able to provide a classroom for my students that helps them be comfortable and excited to learn. I want to be able to promote lots of reading in the classroom, but my class library is very small. I want to be able to provide lots of choice in what my students read to help them understand that because they don’t like a specific genre doesn’t mean that they don’t like to read, we just need to work to find a genre they do enjoy reading. I also am a firm believer that students can’t be successful in the classroom if they don’t have the tools they need to be successful.”
Ms. Farmer’s Wishlist – “This is my second year of teaching! I teach 1st grade at Freedom Preparatory Academy in Provo. Teaching is exhausting and hard but also so fun and rewarding! My favorite thing to do is walking with my kiddos to recess and getting talk with each of them individually about the most random things. I also love love getting to see my students grow and learn new things! Don’t have my class list yet but should have about 25 students!! So excited for a new year.”
Ms. Anderson’s Wishlist – “I am a second year, second grade, teacher at a title 1 school in The Salt Lake area. I am so excited to be starting again and am looking to add fun new books and materials that will engage students in their learning. My students come from very difficult circumstances and school is not always their top concern, by no choice of their own, which can make engagement in learning tricky. Being in a second grade classroom last year and having to be so hands off with materials was hard, so I am excited to give my new second graders everything they need to learn while still having fun! Many of the things I have included on my list will be used throughout the year to excite students and give them the chance to play and be kids! I always want my students to view school positively and by creating a safe, playful, and enriching school environment I hope to set the tone for them.”
Ms. Cardon’s Wishlist – “I am a kindergarten teacher at Desert Canyons Elementary. I get to teach the students who come into school substantially below grade level, my students get to stay at school all day so I can help them catch up with their peers. I am always looking for new fun ways to teach my students and Amazon just makes it so easy!”
Ms. Fry’s Wishlist – “I LOVE my job and more importantly I love my students! It can be so difficult spending my own money every year because I want them to have everything they need, but I’m sacrificing my own goals in the process (like saving for a baby!) I teach 3rd grade in Taylorsville, at a very low income school. The kids all come from really hard home lives and many of them don’t even have their basic needs being met (clothes, food, hygiene). They are such sweet kids that just need a little boost. I love them so very much and would love to support them more!”
Ms. Smith’s Wishlist – “I’ve taught preschool age children since 2005. My first set of preschoolers graduated High School in 2020. I’m currently employed with Davis Head Start. Head Start is for those with low socioeconomic backgrounds. Some of these kids have lived in their car, been shuttled from family to family and often don’t know where they will eat dinner. Teaching this age group keeps me young and helps me appreciate the little things.”
Ms. Loose’s Wishlist – “I am a first year teacher just starting out and trying to build a classroom library and collection of good quality materials. I teach 1st grade at a low income school. My students are the cutest kids I’ve ever seen and so so curious! Many of them come from low income homes and speak Spanish! They are resilient and strong and they deserve the world!”
Ms. Watt’s Wishlist – “This is my third year in the classroom. I love teaching my students through the arts, creativity, and hope. Every day I work with children who need to be seen and heard and I feel a great responsibility to provide a welcoming and accepting environment for each of them.”
Ms. Baker’s Wishlist – “I became a teacher after my kids started school because I hated that they didn’t want to be at school but had to spend so much time there. So I thought if nothing else I could help kids want to be at school. I work at a small school in Davis county and adore my students but you’re always juggling if you’ll have the finances to provide everything you want for your classroom kiddos.”
Ms. Holbrook’s Wishlist – “I am teaching second grade this year! This is my first year teaching and it can be overwhelming trying to get a classroom set up with everything that you need. As a first year teacher it’s hard be able to buy all of your supplies and resources that you need, out of your own pocket. I want my students to have the resources I need to help give them the best learning experience in my classroom!”
Ms. Petersen’s Wishlist – “The items on my list would benefit my self contained Special Education Preschool classroom. I am starting my 2nd year teaching 3-5 year olds with mild, moderate and severe disabilities. I currently have 18 amazing kiddos on my caseload and will be adding to that throughout the year. My kiddos have disabilities ranging from speech/language, behavioral, autism, physical disabilities (walker, wheelchair, and a feeding tube), down-syndrome, and hearing impaired. I am also a mom of twins that are part of the special needs world and are entering high school this year. I became a special education teacher because I wanted to make a difference in these children’s lives. I want to show them their world of possibilities and help them learn the confidence to succeed in this world. I know that I “only teach 3-5 year olds” but I truly belive that what they learn from me and in my classroom for the 2-3 years that I have them, are the building blocks for future learning and growth. I also want to help their families who are new to the special education world find resources to help them while also teaching them to advocate for their child. As a fellow special needs parent, I feel like I can connect with parents on another level because I’ve been in their shoes.”
Ms. Hope’s Wishlist – “I teach in Centerville, Utah at a school called Reading Elementary. This will be year number 7 for me! This will be also my first year at this school. Last year I taught online because I was pregnant with a sweet baby girl whom we named Lucy. She makes our 3rd girl! When I left my old school to teach online, I lost a lot of the items (student whiteboards, clocks, markers, etc.) that belonged to the classroom. Now that I’m at my new school I need some help restocking those items so students can learn in a fun and engaging way. My biggest goal as a teacher is for each student to feel safe, loved, and look forward to school each day.
This year I’ll have 21 very cute first-graders. First-grade has my whole heart, and I cannot wait to meet my new students in a few short weeks!”
Ms. Anderson’s Wishlist – “This is my first year working as a speech-language pathologist (SLP, special educator) in the schools. I am split between an elementary and middle school! The elementary school is title 1 (the poorest in the district) with MANY needs. I have a very high caseload of students with intellectual disabilities, needs for alternative-augmentative communication, Autism/social-pragmatic needs, language learning difficulties, articulation disorders, motor-speech programming difficulties, and fluency/stuttering disorders. I hope to help these students as much as I possibly can and these donations go a long way for helping me to focus solely on them. SLPs/“speech teachers” often get forgotten for funding, but our work is so critical to helping students with various learning needs achieve.”
Ms. Lane’s Wishlist – “I teach in Nebo school district in a title 1 school, because of this we can’t ask for donations from parents(most can’t anyway). Hardest part just found out I will have 32 students this year. Most of our students are at or below grade level and struggle at home as well.”
Virginia
Ms. Sowder’s Wishlist – “I am heading into year 33 of teaching special education at a high school in rural southwest Virginia. I teach a vocational skills class and a life skills class to some pretty amazing souls. I often say that they have taught me way more over the years than I have ever taught them. They range in age from 14 to 21, with many varying skills and talents. They are truly beautiful people. I am hoping that with my wish list I can bring them the best environment for learning while meeting their diverse needs!”
Ms. DeBerry’s Wishlist – “I am heading into my 9th year teaching. I teach Kindergarten in a title 1 school in Virginia. I have a 6 year old boy, 3 year old boy, and I just had a newborn baby girl! Finally another girl around the house with me!”
Washington
Ms. Morris’s Wishlist – “This upcoming school year will be my 3rd year of teaching! I’ve had a passion for special education my whole life and feel so blessed to spend so much time with my favorite kiddos. I’m a huge advocate for inclusion and fostering independence for my students. I teach K-5 special education, students with moderate to severe disabilities in Washington (state, not DC). I have 13 students this year; several have autism, some are minimally verbal, and some are able to access the typical classroom with assistance. Almost half of my students need 1:1 or 2:1 teaching. I work in a low income, title 1 school. Most students are impacted by trauma from addiction to living in poverty and more. Almost all students qualify for free/reduced lunch and breakfast. My list is full of learning games and activities to make learning more engaging for my students! This year I will be working with them on working/ playing independently and finding new ways to grow their skills. Some things on my list are for specific students and some is for the whole class to use! I have a student who is making excellent gains in math but I don’t have tools for him yet! I have another student who is only engaged in learning if it involves animals and another student who is at a toddler developmental level.”
Ms. Peretti’s Wishlist – “I’ve been teaching at a Title 1 school for the last 8 years. Title 1 schools receive funding from the state when their school meets certain requirements. Those include, 85% or more of the students on free or reduced lunch, performance scores, and ses of families that attend. My school meets all of these. My classroom make up of students typically is 90% of students who come from minority backgrounds. As a teacher, it’s my job not only to educate but to provide the basic needs to these babies. When I’m given the opportunity to get things for my classroom, then I can spend my money on providing snacks and clothing to my students that really need it.”
Ms. Lewis’s Wishlist – “I’m sending in my moms Amazon wishlist as a surprise for her. She recently graduated with her second bachelors degree (at 57 years old) just so she can teach special needs children. She has grades 1st-6th so she needs various learning abilities for most classroom material. It’s her first year as a teacher so she is needing to buy everything”
West Virginia
Ms. Carney’s Wishlist – “I am a teacher in West Virginia. I’ve been teaching Pre-K for 15 years. As we approach the new school year, I am determined to make sure it is better than last year!!!”
Ms. Whitt’s Wishlist – “I am a 3rd grade teacher from a low-income area in southern West Virginia. This will be my 9th year teaching, and I am looking forward to meeting my new group of kiddos here in a couple of weeks! This year, I really hope to establish a love for reading and learning in my classroom, while also working with my students on important social/emotional skills that many of them struggle with at this age (especially after the last year and a half)”
Wisconsin
Ms. Anderson’s Wishlist – “This year I’m moving from first to second with my students, so I need more books since they’ve heard so many of my books already. I’m adding lots of text to encourage diversity and Social Emotional Learning in my classroom. I teach in Wisconsin.”
Ms. Gloria’s Wishlist – “after many, MANY years of being a substitute teacher, I am officially a first year teacher in WI. I am going to be teaching and working with middle schoolers in the 6th grade so I am just getting them started on their middle school experience.”
Ms. Felmlee’s Wishlist – “I teach 7th grade English in Wisconsin. I love love love middle schoolers – they are so entertaining and witty!”
Ms. Christenson’s Wishlist – “I’m a first grade teacher in Western Wisconsin. I took many years off to stay at home with my own kids. I came back to the classroom almost 2 years ago. My most recent class included kiddos with learning disabilities, those that needed speech & language support, and also several with various behavior concerns. We were blessed with a class full of different backgrounds including but not limited to- race, culture, religion, and family dynamic. I work hard to create a classroom that is inclusive, safe, engaging, and fun! Coming back during COVID was crazy and chaotic! I didn’t have a ton of time to set up my classroom like I would have liked. I’m excited for another year and am grateful for any support.”
Canada
Ms. Kathleen’s Wishlist – “I’m trying to help build my classroom library for my kiddos next school year. Being a teacher in the public school system can get expensive, especially now that we have to plan for both distance learning and in-person learning. Any help would be appreciated!”
Ms. Laranjerio’s Wishlist – “I teach upper elementary kiddos in the public school system (grades 4-6). I teach English and Math. Last year we taught In person all year and it was probably the most stressful year of my short 3 year career so far. Going into my fourth I’m trying to help build my classroom library for my kiddos and hoping to replace some items that didn’t make it through all the sanitizing from last year.”
Ms. Roger’s Wishlist – “I’ve been teaching 12 years. I began my career 14 years ago but took 2 years off with my very premature twins. One twin was admitted to the NICU for 10 months so they kept me busy!! I work on the east Coast of Canada (Prince Edward Island). I’m not sure if I’m eligible for this, but thought I’d give it a try! We are coming off a very difficult school year, but we’re so… SO blessed to have only had 3 days of shut down due to Covid. We are hoping for an even better up and coming year. I’m a resource & special Ed teacher and work with children of many ages and abilities. I absolutely love my job and am so passionate about teaching.”
