Past projects 7
A TK Teacher in Need of a Few Tech Tools.
Funded Sep 16, 2020I'm writing you to let you know how much your generosity impacted my school year. Before receiving my second monitor and printer I was drowning. Drowning in part because I did not have the tools that I needed to be an effective teacher. I was not able to see when my students needed help or the excitement on their sweet faces when a lesson was going really well. Being limited to seeing only six faces at a time was not just an inconvenience it was a handicap.
When my second monitor and printer were finally hooked up I felt like I was really teaching again. I was able to adjust the speed and content of my lessons by observing my students just as I would in the classroom. I was no longer toggling back and forth to see everyone which in turn maximized my teaching time. Using my printer I was able to send home colorful and exciting projects. I started seeing huge gains in my students learning. When my students graduated from TK I felt confident that they would enter kindergarten as leaders with a solid foundation to build upon.
With just a few clicks you changed the trajectory of our year. You gave me the tools that I needed to give 16 students the best possible year despite the cards we had been dealt. Thank you for throwing me a life jacket when I needed it the most. You did that.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Urenda
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose 20th Anniversary Fund and 8 other donors.Trying to Stay Connected Despite It All
Funded May 24, 2020I honestly don't know where to begin, your donation didn't just support my teaching you gave me the tool I NEEDED to teach. This school year has been incredibly challenging. Not having the proper equipment makes distance learning impossible. Imagine trying to teach your students virtually and only having a device that works when it wants to. My older Mac book would constantly freeze up and shut down. I would be left scrambling in the middle of a lesson. Every day I would be filled with unnecessary anxiety not knowing if I'd be able to get through my school day without a tech issue.
With my Microsoft Surface Pro I no longer have to worry about my computer crashing. I am able to focus on one thing, my students. Now my days are filled with silly songs, science projects, story time, math and learning our ABC's. Even though we are apart my students are learning, engaged and happy.
Thank you again for taking the time to support my classroom. Teaching five year old students virtually is HARD! Having the resources I need to connect with them allows me to do what I do best, TEACH!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Urenda
Play, the Work of Childhood
Funded Oct 9, 2019My students are absolutely thrilled with their new fun and engaging learning tools. After I received all of these amazing resources I had no where to store them so I stacked up all of the boxes on my counter. When my students walked into our classroom and saw box after box of fun filled activities they literally screamed with delight and thought Santa had come early!
My students have 30 minutes of "choice time" every morning. During this time the students choose activities that they want to play with. Since our materials arrived they have continued to pick the items that you donated. They love taking care of our sick "pets" using the veterinarian tools. They also have been building every morning using the tree house set, or marble roller-coasters. Another class favorite is the snap dinosaurs and animals.
This "play" time is so vital in building their social and emotional needs and with these great resources I am able to interact with my students in so many ways. I love watching how creative my students can be and hearing the amazing conversations that these materials help facilitate. Thank you so much for supporting my classroom!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Urenda
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron Fuel Your School.My Ear-resistible Firsties Need a Listening Center!
Funded Oct 12, 2017I just wanted to take the time to thank you for supporting our classroom. My students are so excited about our new classroom materials. The comfy couch listening center is one of my students favorite spots in the classroom. They love to hang out on the couch while listening to a tape story or playing on an i-pad. It provides the perfect reading nook for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the classroom. The bean bags are also a classroom favorite, I wish I had asked for two more! They provide the flexible seating that my students crave. From reading with a friend to building words my students just seem to work better when sitting on a bean bag!
The wireless headphones and cd player have made all the difference in the world. There are no more tangled cords, missing pieces and most of all whining!!! The students have been trained to use the cd player and headphones. I now have a non-fuss area for kids to work at that requires minimal effort from me.
It's the smallest things that make the biggest impact and I just want to thank you again. It's your contributions that are slowly turning my government funded classroom into a beautiful place for kids to learn.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Urenda
Supplies to Keep My Busy Learners Engaged During UA!
Funded Aug 8, 2017Thank you so much for supporting our classroom! When the students first saw our new classroom library they were so excited! They can now access our classroom books easily by topic and love to spread themselves out on the carpet and READ!
The reading games have also been a great help in engaging my struggling readers. I use the twist and turn word builders weekly during our small group time. The students enjoy using hands on materials and I enjoy the easy cleanup they provide.
Sometimes its the smallest things that make the biggest impact and I have found that to be the case with this project. The ability to properly organize my books has solved so many problems & headaches that I have had over the years. Thank you again for helping my students there is no greater feeling than to see a child fall in love with a book.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Urenda
This classroom project was brought to life by Lakeshore Learning and 4 other donors.Wiggles, Wiggles, Everywhere! Help Us With Some New Chairs!
Funded Feb 21, 2017My students and I are absolutely thrilled with our new chairs and table. Every week one table group is given the opportunity to use the wobble chairs. Then the following week the chairs rotate to another group. When it's their turn with the chairs the students cheer and clap with excitement! I have seen dramatic changes in classroom behavior since we received the chairs. The students know they must be on their best behavior to have a one. In addition the wobble chairs really help those students who have a difficult time sitting still for long periods of time. We use the table during universal access time. Its a great place for the students to quietly work together and again they know its a privilege to sit there so they're on their best behavior. It's a great feeling watching my students work independently in a comfortable place without being stuck on the hard floor.
When the students first saw the boxes enter the room they could not believe their eyes. They immediately began cheering because they knew what was inside since we had been talking about the project quite a bit. After the chairs were assembled one of my students raised her hand and said "Mrs. Urenda we are so LUCKY we finally have the cool seats!"
My plan moving forward is to obtain more flexible seating options. I consider this first project to be like phase one. Hopefully next year I can get another project up and running and hopefully funded. I have seen the difference in my students listening, motivation and learning since receiving these materials so I know that flexible seating works. I just want to thank everyone who donated to this project again, you truly have made a difference in my classroom and I am so very grateful.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Urenda
Oh the Places We Could Go!
Funded May 16, 2012I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous donation to my classroom. My students were absolutely thrilled when I plugged in our new laptop and they were able to play an educational game for the first time.
Your donation has given me the opportunity to teach my students in so many new and exciting ways. It warms my heart knowing that there are people like you who don't just talk about changing education, but step up and do something to make it better.
You have truly made a difference not only in my students lives but in mine as well, thanks again for your gift of technology.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Urenda
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron and 2 other donors.