Mrs. Piltz's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 4

• Be the Best Teacher I Can Be!

  Funded Feb 5, 2015

  I am so incredibly grateful for your commitment to professional development for teachers, and the funding provided so that I may pursue my National Board Certification. In order to become a better teacher and provide successful learning experiences for my students, I need to challenge myself as a professional. Pursuing my National Board Certification will provide a framework for analyzing and evaluating my teaching practices, and how these practices affect student learning. As a teacher, I already spend much of my paycheck in the classroom, which makes it difficult to find the funds to pay for National Board Certification. The DonorsChoose.org initiative to provide professional development funding is such a wonderful thing for teachers! Thank you for encouraging and providing funding for teachers who have the motivation and initiative to pursue professional development, but need help with financial resources! You are appreciated.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Piltz

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 2 other donors.

• Comfy Space for Creative Learners

  Funded Nov 18, 2014

  We are so incredibly grateful for your support of our kindergarten room. Getting this project funded has made such a positive impact on our classroom environment! Students absolutely love using the colorful (and easy to clean!) cushions and couch. It has given them choice and freedom in how and where they work. I love watching the students choose a quiet, private little nook to tuck away in as they read a story or work on a project on their iPad. The couch has become a favorite spot in our classroom, and the students love when they have a chance to sit in it and work.

  When students are utilizing these gifts, they are engaged, happy, and working hard! It is so fun for me to see the awesome changes these materials have made in our classroom. Providing students with some choice and flexibility is such a powerful tool. Your support of our classroom is very appreciated!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Piltz

• Amazing Interactive Reading with iPads and Speakaboos!

  Funded Jan 31, 2014

  Thank you for the generous donation to our classroom that allowed us to purchase a subscription to Speakaboos. This site is providing my kindergartners with hundreds of interactive stories and songs, and sparking their interest in reading and learning. Students can access the Speakaboos site from our mobile computer lab, from our iPads and from home. When I serve snack, they beg me to project a Speakaboos story onto our interactive whiteboard, so they can listen and read as they enjoy their snack.

  We are hopeful that we will be receiving 1:1 iPad minis for our classroom soon, and having the Speakaboos subscription where ALL students can log on and enjoy these stories at the same time will be incredibly useful. This will allow students the ability to independently read stories of their choosing throughout the day.

  This fun and engaging site has contributed very nicely to our "21st century classroom of learners" and we are so grateful for your support. We look forward to continued reading, singing and learning using this gift from you. And to quote the kindergartners "It is awesome!" "We love it!" "Can I go to the Speakaboos site?!" Thank you for helping to make learning fun and engaging.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Piltz

  This classroom project was brought to life by AKJ Books and one other donor.

• QR for Kindergarten: iPods & QR Codes for Learning!

  Funded Oct 1, 2013

  We are so absolutely thrilled with the iPod we received with your generous donation at Donors Choose! The iPod arrived so quickly, and we were able to start using it right away. The kids love using the technology in our classroom. We have been using it primarily for learning activities using QR codes. They think the QR codes are so cool, and it's been so fun to watch their excitement as they engage in these activities. When they scan a code, I love hearing the delight in their voices as they discuss the task with one another.

  Some of the activities we have engaged in include: a word building QR code center where students scan a code that shows them an image of a CVC word (mop, cat, pin, etc). They work with a partner to sound out the word and write the word on a recording sheet. In a math center, students look at QR code task cards with teen numbers. They identify the number, then scan the code to see if they are correct. Then, they need to build that number using snap cubes. We have also used the codes in listening centers. The students have retold stories, or sequenced events (such as the life cycle of a pumpkin). We have recorded those stories in a tool called Audioboo, then made the recording into a code that can be scanned and listened to.

  Overall, adding this tool to our classroom has created so many opportunities for students to be engaged in what we are learning in a new, innovative and exciting way. Students are excited to use the tool, and behaviors are positive. I am thrilled to have this tool in my classroom, and am so excited about the possibilities of continued QR code learning opportunities. We are incredibly grateful for your support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Piltz