It’s hard to believe that summer is already coming to an end, when quite frankly, it didn’t even feel like it started to begin with. This year has looked different in a multitude of ways; there’s no doubt that we’re all going through experiences we never dreamed of. As we continue to navigate our new normal, I want to focus on how we can help teachers. With the introduction of Skype learning, teachers had to quickly pivot to ensure the success of their beloved students. Now that they are gearing up to start a new year, with new students – new challenges are sure to continue.
There’s a challenge going around social media to share teachers’ Amazon wish lists to promote a way to help them prep for the school year. Honestly, it was never something that crossed my mind until it came up on IG. I hate to admit that, but I’m so excited to participate now that I’m aware. It’s no secret that teachers are often given the short end of the stick when it comes to resources; this is a simple yet powerful way to ensure they get support they are so deserving of.
If you are a teacher and want to be added to this list, please comment below or send me an email or IG DM. I’d be happy to add your information so that it has a permanent place on my blog.
Ally Edwards – one of my dear friends from my life in San Diego – she has since moved on to be a teacher in Austin, Texas. She would love any help you can give! | WISH LIST
Janine Presti – Speech language pathologist for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). I provide speech and language therapy to general education and special education students in preschool through 5th grade. “For my first five years of work I used to ask for gift cards to buy work materials for Christmas and my birthday! With everything going virtual, it’s a totally different ballgame and I kind of had to start all over with materials since most of my activities and materials are hands-on.” | CLASSFUND
Heather Polo – ESL teacher in a large urban district of Rhode Island | WISH LIST
Bridget – Special education teacher in NYC teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder grades K-1 | WISH LIST
Kira Carney – At-home Preschool teacher. Her and the families are quarantining and are going extra lengths to make sure that they will be safe during the time | WISH LIST
Hailey Donohue – 3rd teacher at a tittle 1 school in Sacramento, California. She is trying to make her class library more diverse and flexible for a multitude of different learners. | WISH LIST
Miriam Ferguson – First year School Psychologist this year working with children Pre K-5th grades at a Title I school in Maryland. Her Amazon wishlist includes different sensory and calm down tools for children in crisis and different social emotional books. | WISH LIST
Aimee Sword – Kindergarten teacher at a Title 1 school in Idaho. She’s beginning her second year of teaching! As many of her students come from low income homes, they look to her to be a primary caregiver in their young lives. She provides them with love, support, and compassion. But she also provides them with food, clothing, or anything else they might need! Her goal this year is to create a safe environment as a harbor for her students in this difficult time. As a new teacher, her classroom is still bare bones, in need of lots of materials to make it hers (and her students) dream classroom! Since it is such a low income community, her classroom lacks basic supplies such as paint and technology. | WISH LIST
Anne Monte – 5th grade math and science teacher at a low income school in Philly. As of right now they are retuning in 3 weeks so any help she can get on her list will make a HUGE impact on her amazing students | WISH LIST
Neeks – WISH LIST
Hannah – 3rd grade teacher at a title 1 school in Wisconsin. This is only her second year! On her wishlist she has various classroom supplies and books she’s looking to have available for her students! It’s so important to her that she provide students with books that they can enjoy and see themselves in. | WISH LIST
Parker Gainey – First year teacher at a Title 1 low income school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is teaching 4th and 5th grade students with emotional/behavioral disorder. | WISH LIST
K12 Social Worker – school social worker in Ohio. She provides individual and group counseling but also goes into classrooms to teach students about mental health. | WISH LIST
Jamie Dukett – This will be her 4th year teaching first grade in a low income school in Charleston, SC. | WISH LIST
Megan Defazio – She teaches pre-k Special education in Pennsylvania. She teaches in a low income area so anything helps! She’s trying to make sure all her students have their own materials this year so they can be as sanitary as possible. | WISH LIST
Shianne Joy – first year 2nd grade teacher in Texas and this would bless her tremendously! | WISH LIST
Kendra Wiand – kindergarten teacher at a title one school and they will be starting the school year out virtually this year. Due to this, her students and herself will not have free reading materials as accessible like they normally would. She is trying to get more diverse books to read aloud to her students during their live class meetings online. Reading to her students helps them tremendously to make academic and social emotional growth! | WISH LIST
Rachel Kappius – 2nd grade teacher in Charlotte, NC who would love to use more diverse literature to assist with her anti-racist teaching this year! | WISH LIST
Kourtney – A lot of teachers have also created Donors Choose projects that would be super helpful in getting the necessary tech as well for their students since a lot of them will be doing virtual learning in the fall! Here is her project that she’d love to get funded to help her students out! | DONATE TO PROJECT
Olivia Bunemann – second grade teacher in Raleigh, NC and she loves it! She had a crazy first year teaching with the pandemic ending it short and she is starting her second year now. She is still trying to gather supplies to meet her students needs! | WISH LIST
Brittany Ferst -special education teacher of kiddos in East Harlem. Help her build her classroom library with diverse books so they have books of black and brown kids that look like them to relate to! Also wants to incorporate books about racism that are appropriately taught based on age. | WISH LIST
Sydney Leet – third grade teacher at a low income school in South Carolina! She has been teaching for 8 years. | WISH LIST
Morgan Greenwood – 3rd year special ed teacher in a low income area district | WISH LIST
Lily Braun – school psychologist | WISH LIST
Brittney Dollison – Kindergarten in Houston, Tx in a title one school. She only got to teach for 8 months last school year, as a first year teacher, So, this is round 2! She’s hoping to spread a little bit of happiness and normalcy back into these kids’ daily lives! She’s missed her job so much and she can’t wait to get back to work. | WISH LIST
Diana DiLorenzo – first year 2nd grade teacher and she pretty much has to supply everything to herself. She’s hoping to diversify her classroom library and provide her students with the tools that they deserve. | WISH LIST
Taylor Putman – starting her first year of teaching in a few weeks in Gainesville, Florida! She is teaching k-2 kiddos in a title 1 school. Any help would be amazing!!! She is really dedicated to providing her students with an inclusive and culturally diverse classroom!! | WISH LIST
Courtney – 2nd year 5h grade teacher | WISH LIST
Taylor White – 2nd grade teacher at a title school in Reno, Nevada. All of their students are on free and reduced breakfast and lunch, they are going back in person and she’d love to add these items to her class | WISH LIST
Raiza Cruz – This is her first year teaching, and she’ll be teaching 6th-7th grade science. | WISH LIST
BFF recommended by Alissa Younger – 5th grade teacher in a low income district in San Diego | WISH LIST
Sammy Hundley – teacher in the Bay Area at a title one school. She is trying to get books and art supplies for the school year. It is SO important that her students this year have access to socio-emotional support like art supplies and books to connect with. | WISH LIST
Amanda Engel – With all the books she sent home last spring to her first graders for distant learning (that were not returned) her classroom library has shrunk considerably! But she isn’t complaining because at least they have some books at home that they’re reading 🙂 help her rebuild her library! | WISH LIST
Jen Hanson – 3rd grade math teacher at a Philadelphia public school | WISH LIST
I just want to send ALL the good vibes and virtual hugs to teachers out there – I cannot even imagine the amount of stress you’re under with this entirely new mountain in front of you, but I have faith that you are going to dominate this school year!!! It’s scary, it’s hard, it’s exhausting – but you are changing lives and impacting these children in ways that no one else has access to. Even if it is virtual, you are still SUCH an important part of their journey. Saying prayers for each and every one of you! Hang in there – take mental heath breaks, cry if you need to, find an outlet to exert all of your pent up frustration and energy, and release whatever you need to at the end of the day. Make sure you are recharging yourself daily so that you don’t push yourself over the edge, and take it day by day! Things WILL get better, and you will always have 2020 to look back on as the year that completely turned your life inside out and upside down, but you came out of it stronger and more capable than ever. After this, nothing will get you down! You are going to get through it, and you are going to experience growth you never imagined. Keep pushing 🙂
