Past projects 11
This Classroom is a Circus! No, Really- It's a Circus!
Funded Feb 3, 2023Oh my goodness are we having fun! The younger students at PS 503 are truly lucky to be able to try out their circus skills with the new equipment. The stilts are proving to be a huge favorite because they are surprisingly challenging!
So far, about 200 children have been able to balance and play thanks to your gift! And the best part is that all of these materials will be in great shape for several years to come. Which means you will help literally thousands of children. Many of these children do not have access to safe and clean places to play which deeply affects their motor skills development. Thank you for doing something about that!
I'll end by telling you the story of Luis. He is a five year old with special needs who is not very emotive. We have a lot of trouble knowing what he enjoys doing. But when the colorful balance beam came out... He lit right up and was so excited for his turn. And then, he got even happier each time he fell off! It was such a joy for all of the adults in the room to see him express a positive feeling so clearly.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland
This classroom project was brought to life by Disney and 7 other donors.Juggling is JOY!
Funded Sep 29, 2022Thank you so very much for our new juggling balls! We are super excited to use them in our school-wide circus unit. Our old juggling balls were literally spilling their insides so shiny new ones are very welcome. When I first began teaching juggling I didn't realize that when you use juggling balls four times a day for 20-30 minutes each time- they wear out pretty quickly!
You may wonder about the order being for three different colors of juggling balls. When you first learn to juggle it can be quite hard to keep track of which ball needs to be thrown next. Our brains want to default to the easier action- but that won't lead to being able to do the classic juggling three ball cascade pattern. Having juggling balls in different colors make keeping track much easier for the students. During practice sessions you hear students whispering to themselves, "Orange, yellow. Yellow, orange. Orange, yellow. Yellow, orange." It's pretty neat to watch and hear.
Working with such an underserved population is both deeply rewarding and deeply troubling. It matters to know those of us choosing to this work are supported. Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 3 other donors.Will Travel, Need Music
Funded Oct 27, 2011Beautiful music. That's what your generosity has created. Thank you so much for helping us.
Each day as I travel through the various classrooms I service we have the music we need to make our lessons come alive. Right now that means listening to ragas from India as we study yoga and ambient nature environments as we learn to meditate. Recently we were getting down to Junkanoo from the Bahamas, Sankta Lucia from Sweden, Tibetan music for Losar, and Hopi Native American music for Soyal. Our study of winter holidays from all over the world was deeply enhanced by having the music with us.
And every Wednesday chorus is making the music themselves. As you can see from the photos, the students love getting their own CDs to take home to practice. It works too- they learn the words and melodies so much faster when they can spend time with music more than once a week.
Thank you so very much for your help. All this music wouldn't exist without you. I deeply feel supported and nurtured when others step forward to help.
”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland
Help! The Mice Ate My Juggling Balls!
Funded Mar 30, 2011What a list of kind caring people! Thank you all. It matters so much that there are people who care enough about children to make education exciting. Your generosity helps me keep feeling good about what I do.
We had a great time with our juggling unit this year and that couldn't have happened without your help. Juggling was special this year for several reasons- we had a bunch of firsts; Out of one hundred forty-three third grade students, seven made it to three balls! Usually it is only one or two. A group of students discovered muscle memory on their own and came to me thrilled with the idea that after they practiced a lot they could juggle better if they didn't think too hard. And one student who has been juggling for three years entered the talent show with a combination clowning and juggling act- and he won!!!
I wish each of you could have seen the students juggling, watched them smile, concentrate, laugh, deal with frustration, and learn. You'll just have to trust me, it was wonderful! Tank you for making this fun possible.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland
Will You Light Up My Life?
Funded Nov 8, 2010My yoga unit is coming to an end and I must tell you all how wonderful our meditation lights have been. The students are immediately affected when we switch off the bright florescent and turn on the soft strings of lights. Their voices soften and quiet, their bodies straighten into beautiful meditation poses, and they focus. Just what we want in an environment that's good for yoga!
It has made such a difference to me as a teacher to have a good visual cue for the quietness needed for yoga. When there are only 45 minutes in a period anything that helps us settle our selves quickly is welcomed. It has also made a difference to me as teacher to feel supported by strangers who care. Often it can be very isolating to be working with underprivileged students because the rest of my world just doesn't understand what these children are going through on a daily basis. So anytime a person reaches out to say, "Keep up the good work" it matters. A lot.
The only problem is that now the students want everything we do to be in low light! Every time I turn our florescent back on there are groans of disappointment. But this isn't so bad either because now I can use the lights as a reward! Anytime the whole class really does their personal best- I'll do our final activities with our meditation lights on!
Thank you all very much. Namaste.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland
But We Can't Hear the Music!
Funded Dec 20, 2009WoW!
I took the new ikick into our auditorium the day after it arrived to test it's sound ability. WoW! This is a 650 seat auditorium and this simple ipod dock FILLED it with sound! I am so excited to finally have a way for all my students to hear our music. The students have not yet had a chance to hear it, but I can promise they will be very excited. (They will also probably just be excited by how cool the thing looks- it is like a stealth jet.)
Along with the fact that we can now rehearse in any of our spaces and all of our students will be able to hear the music, this donation means much more to me. Every time I decide to stay in the classroom another year (14 and counting) part of my decision is based on the fact that there are people who make sure I know that what I do is important. If it was just the daily grind with out some added encouragement- I don't know if I'd keep going. This is a hard job that just keeps getting harder as the budget cuts go deeper and deeper. So thank you for helping me know that I am doing something important.
My students love singing and dancing. You have now made that love much more exciting for them. Thank you. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland
This classroom project was brought to life by Perry & Donna Golkin Family Foundation and 2 other donors.This Classroom Is A Circus! (Really...)
Funded Nov 18, 2009Too much fun might now happen in my circus class! We are so happy to have a new way to build our skills. The hilarity (and learning) are reaching new heights with this new balance equipment. You should have heard the, "OOHHH!" that the students let out when they saw the peacock feathers for the first time. They were very impressed.
And I am impressed. I am impressed with the generosity of strangers (and my Mom- Hi Mom!) to help out children they don't even know. It is so wonderful that you took some time and decided to make a difference in these student's lives. Thank you for being kind to them. I hope that along with circus skills, dedication, the power of practice, they learn that generosity is valuable too. Your gift may inspire them to give as they grow older.
Thank you. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland
Doing the High-Wire in the Low Classroom #1
Funded Apr 26, 2009Thank you for making school more fun and more challenging for my students! As you can see from the photographs, my students faces were full of joy as they used their new balance equipment. Each day the students arrived to class for our circus unit, they looked around hoping that it was a day we were going to do balance centers. I would never have been able to give them this excitement with out your help.
It also meant so much to me to see that as they were having so much fun, they were building skills too. The best kind of learning is often stealth learning. Everytime they worked with the equipment their core muscles got stronger- and they were often asked to do the activity and pay attention to what muscles they could feel working so that they would learn which major groups helped do what kind of balancing. And every time they fell and got right back up they were learning the value of practice, confidence, and perseverence.
This school year has just begun and even though our circus skills unit isn't until April, May, and June, the students have already asked about it. I love being able to make school an exciting place for them to be. Thank you for helping more students love coming to school- it will help these children stay in school. I work in an area of New York City that is primarily Latino, the group of students most likely not to graduate. You have done a little bit to help change that.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland
I Can't Fit My VHS Tapes Into My DVD Player!
Funded Oct 14, 2008Wow! I am excited to be able to start converting my VHS collection into DVDs. It will mean so much more to my students to be able to see the fabulous performances that I have collected instead of just listening to me describe them. Probably, one of the things that my students will like best about this gift is that they will also be able to see old tapes of me dancing- they really connect to performing better if they know that I really did it too when I was young.
Thank you for your generosity. It always makes me feel so proud of what I do when others are wiling to support it.
Juli”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland
Oh- So That's How It Is Supposed to Look!
Funded Mar 25, 2008Thank you! I am thrilled to be getting the TV/VCR/DVD unit for my classroom just in time for our circus unit. I certainly am no expert at juggling, contortion, or trapeze (though I am about as silly as a clown!) so being able to show great circus acts to my students will make a huge difference. Your generosity comes at a crucial time at my school as we are trying to help the students still feel valued despite the huge budget cuts that have taken so much away from them. I can't wait to them that people they have never met cared enough about their education to help buy them a TV! You have my deepest gratitude on behalf of my students. I am also personally grateful, because it helps me keep teaching to the best of my abilities when I know other people care about what I am doing. Thank you. Julia ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Garland