Past projects 56
Fidget Mental Health
Funded Dec 2, 2024I am overjoyed to extend our heartfelt thanks for your generous support of our project focused on fidgets for mental health. Your contributions have brought not only resources but also immense joy and relief to our classroom.
When we first introduced the fidgets, the room was filled with excitement and curiosity. Students were eager to explore how these tools could help them focus better and manage their stress. It was a moment of true discovery, seeing their faces light up as they found new ways to channel their energies and emotions positively.
These fidgets have become an integral part of our daily routine, especially during times that require deep concentration or calm. They've allowed us to embark on a project that involves students tracking their mood and focus levels, giving them tangible insights into how small tools can make a big difference in managing anxiety and enhancing mental well-being.
The next steps for us involve integrating these observations into our broader health curriculum. We plan to expand our discussions around mental health, using the data collected by the students to foster a more open dialogue about managing stress and anxiety in school.
Thank you once again for giving us the means to make our classroom a sanctuary of learning and mental health awareness. Your impact is profound and lasting.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
This classroom project was brought to life by Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and 2 other donors.Every teacher deserves a strong coach!
Funded Feb 6, 2015Thank you very much for your donation!
The New Teacher Project just released The Mirage, a massive study that offers a conclusion I've known for a long time: traditional professional development for teachers doesn't work.
That's why, after 15 years of teaching, for the last three years, I've worked full-time as an instructional coach. My colleagues and I work together to improve their craft, and so far, the results are extremely impressive.
Nevertheless, many people inside (and outside) of education do not acknowledge that coaching is center to a teacher's professional development. That's why attending Elena Aguilar's seminar was invaluable.
At the two-day institute, I was able to learn the specific techniques of Ms. Aguilar's coaching — to practice them, to understand them concretely — so that I can apply them this year. We also had a session where we did a role play and got feedback. It was a wonderful training.
As with many things, teachers get better at teaching through consistent reflection, feedback, and reflection. Traditional PD doesn't provide that at all. That's why I'm so happy that you funded this project so I had an opportunity to hone my craft. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.Help Build a Classroom Library, Book by Book!
Funded Sep 3, 2014Thank you very much for your generous donation to my students and their reading lives!
Out of the three titles that you donated, *Snitch* was by far the most popular. (The other two were popular, too.) The title gets the students' attention; the story keeps their interest. What I also appreciate is that the author makes sure to make the characters complex and the resolution thought-provoking.
By now, I'd estimate that 40+ students (out of 100) have read *Snitch* and 15-20 have read *Far From You* and *When I Was the Greatest.* Without your help, that just wouldn't have happened.
I'm a big proponent of what reading teachers call "reading ladders." Students need to be shown that they can and should have choice in what they read. From there, they make more choices — and they go up the ladder of reading, toward deeper ideas and more complexity. Thank you very much for supporting the students' agency and participation in this journey!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
Help Make My Classroom Feel Like a News Hub!
Funded Jul 18, 2014Thank you very much for making generous contributions to bring a class set of New York Times Upfront to my classroom. It's so important to offer students a window to their world, and Upfront does an excellent job keeping students updated on current events.
Most schools no longer teach current events officially in their curriculum. But I have long believed that it's important to read nonfiction, and reading a newspaper helps students become responsible citizens.
What's great about the NY Times Upfront is that the editors curate the best articles and present them in a way whereby students who may be scared of a bigger newspaper are comfortable reading a range of articles — both national and international, and on topics about which they may not have prior knowledge.
Upfront is so successful that students clamor for the next issue. "When's it coming?" they ask. "Is it here today, Mr. Isero?" Not yet, but soon.
Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
Help Build a Classroom Library, Book by Book!
Funded Aug 25, 2014Thank you so much for your generous donation! When I learned last year that the Gone books were popular among students, I knew that I needed to inundate my classroom library with the entire series. That's because books in series allow for students to keep reading.
And keep reading they did!
With your contribution, at least eight students read the entire Gone series. If you haven't seen these books, they're big. When students complete big books, especially if they're an emerging reader, they feel accomplished. They like coming up to me and saying, "Mr. I, look at what I finished."
This is particularly wonderful when students like Jamie — who said he barely read last year — complete Hunger in just two days, or when Jennifer — who reads at the fifth grade level — complains that there aren't 6 copies of each title. (All 5 copies were habitually checked out.)
Thank you again for caring about my students and their reading lives. Too many people think it's "too late" to turn high school students back onto reading. It's never too late — especially when we get good books in the hands of young people.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation Back To School and 5 other donors.Help Me Build a Classroom Library, Book by Book!
Funded Aug 11, 2014Thank you so much for donating to purchase books for my classroom library. Students absolutely love the writing and books of Matt de la Pena, and there are never enough, so it was wonderful to get additional copies.
Your contribution has made a large impact. Not only did several students read both titles, but generally, building a robust classroom library has sent a strong message that reading matters and that we believe in our students' reading lives.
There are many great stories to tell. Among them:
- Joaquin, who said that the last book he finished was in fifth grade, completed five books last semester;
- Reyna wants to bring Matt de la Pena to the school,
- Carlos asked me why all teachers didn't have choice reading as part of their curriculum,
- Jasmine took both books home and completed them over the weekend.
These stories are wonderful, but they're not unique. You believe, as I do, that when we get good books in the hands of students, they read them. And they connect with authors, and they imagine themselves as they are — and as how they'd like to become.
Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
Help Me Build a Classroom Library, Book by Book!
Funded Aug 4, 2014There is an assumption — a stereotype, based on prejudice — that young people in Oakland somehow don't like to read. "Teenagers don't read anymore," the line goes. "They're too busy with their phones."
With your help, I have found that this claim is not backed by evidence.
In truth, when we offer young people high-quality books that meet their passions, young people read. Students don't want ragged hand-me-downs, somebody's extras. They're interested in demonstrations of caring, and your donation said clearly to them, "We care."
The books you helped purchase are extremely popular among students, particularly young women. Because so few YA books are by or about people of color, it's crucial to inundate classroom libraries with books by Latina/o authors and about Latina/o characters.
I'm particularly impressed by Meg Medina, who recently sent our classroom copies of her latest books, including one that was autographed! When students see new books that are interesting, and when they observe that people around the country care about them, they reclaim their love of reading really quickly.
It's true that many of my students — in ninth grade now — hadn't completed a book since fifth grade. But this is because of resources, not intent. I am very thankful that you are doing your part to get good books in the hands of students.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
Help Me Build a Classroom Library, Book by Book!
Funded Jul 25, 2014Thank you very much for your generous donations. Getting more copies of Matt de la Pena's books was instrumental last semester to promote reading among my students.
This is why: Mr. de la Pena writes well, and he helps students bridge between "I'm-just-starting-to-read-again" to "I-identify-as-a-full-on-reader-now." Here are a few things that students said:
- Jasmine: "His characters are real. His books are real. I'm going to read all of them."
- Jose: "His books aren't stereotypical. Like, the characters are complex."
- Rankin: "He writes books for us, but they're not dumbed down."
- Aria: "He's my favorite author right now."
I don't like to bother students when they're reading — to mess things up — but if a student is amenable, I do mention that Mr. de la Pena also speaks at schools and believes in promoting diversity among YA. My hope is that I can gather the funds so he can address my students next year.
In the meantime, my students will keep reading his books, and appreciating them, and learning from them. Thank you again for your contribution to helping students reclaim their reading lives.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
Help Build a Classroom Library, Book by Book!
Funded May 12, 2014Thank you so much for donating money to purchase books for my classroom. The books you donated are huge favorites among my students.
They are also books about violence — and about love. My students, many of whom understand violence well, are attracted to it — whether it's on a YouTube video, on the news, or in their communities. (I suppose we're all drawn by violence, even if we don't want to admit it.)
When my students read books with violence in them, though, there's a relaxing effect. There's an escape, and things slow down. My students aren't as reactive. They're able to contextualize — to understand — the violence in the books because they have grown to know about the book's characters. Even though violence might be upsetting, it is understandable in books, and it helps my students cope.
What's great about these books, too, is that love overtakes violence. Not all stories have to have a happy ending, but it's nice that these books offer an ordered existence. So many of my students have read these books, and it's just that I need to keep more copies in my library. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
This classroom project was brought to life by 100 Women in Hedge Funds and 5 other donors.Help Me Build A Classroom Library, Book by Book!
Funded May 22, 2014Thank you so much for helping build our classroom library with excellent titles. My students are very appreciative and very grateful.
It's never easy to keep copies of *Divergent* — they're always being borrowed. The same goes for anything by Sherman Alexie. After students complete *True Diary,* they're yammering for more. Thank you very much for your generosity. It's important to get multiple copies of the most popular books.
Also, it's becoming clear that physical books have a very important part in a robust classroom library. Though I also believe in the role of Kindles, e-books don't have colorful covers or physical pages to flip. The most important benefits to physical books are the close relationships that students have with them and the ease of discovery they offer.
Most of my students are "re-emerging" readers, which means that they love physical books so they can build their reading identity. The books you donated are getting them there. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Isero
This classroom project was brought to life by 100 Women in Hedge Funds and 6 other donors.