Mr. K's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 6

• Help Me Create a Student Focused Kindergarten Classroom

  Funded Nov 29, 2022

  Thank you all so much for helping fund another Donors Choose for my school. This will help my kindergarten classroom so much. The students are going to love the book bags to keep their belongings in, and have their own space to keep their favorite books close by.

  Thanks again and happy holidays!!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. K

  This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 13 other donors.

• The Gift of Music to Kids in the Heights!

  Funded Aug 21, 2021

  What a year!!!!! Adults are having a difficult time dealing with the pandemic and all of it's "complications", so you can only imagine how children are handling the world in which their parents are confused, disoriented and depressed.

  Now for the good news! What a difference you have made in these children's lives. My students come to school on the day they have MUSIC energized and excited for a creative experience they didn't believe was possible. They are learning to play an instrument, they are learning to play songs and beginning to understand how songs are put together with verses, chords, intros and outros, notes, chords and scales.

  Is the UKULELE for everyone, (I SAY YES!!!!), but no. About half the students are really into playing and learning the UKE chords, the other half have asked about playing different instruments and know that they understand the scales, they would like to try piano and guitar and one child has even asked me to teach him violin!!! No I don't know how to play violin, but thanks to Andrea and her HoHoKus community, a violin was donated and I was able to find a high schooler who will give him lessons online.

  The pointy is ... we threw a snowball down a hill and created an avalanche of HOPE and POSSIBILITIES!!!!

  Thank you and take this feeling with you and pull it out when you need it.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. K

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 31 other donors.

• Recorders for Third Grade Students

  Funded Jul 26, 2021

  I want to express our heartfelt appreciation for supporting the music program at PS 28. The kids were surprised and excited for their instruments. As you know our students are from some of the poorest neighborhoods, whose lives were touched and enriched by our your generous gift. Ours is an at-risk population of students who are from low-income families would not be able to afford this program on their own. I am glad to have this career in my life, to remind me of how good I have it.

  The students have been learning basic music theory, such as the chromatic scale. Skills they will be able to transfer to any musical instrument, their gateway instrument.

  They are finding such joy in being able to create rich tones and put together tunes, create music. I. wish I could share the smiles I get from their eyes every time they complete a new lesson.

  Thank you once again and please keep this in your heart that you have made a real difference.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. K

• Let's Add a Little Percussion

  Funded Oct 1, 2019

  The students are truly enjoying using the drum and finding a beat. I have let them explore and some have found they have skills.

  Two students have surprised the school and have brought them into the forefront of their classes. We have in the past two years enrolled students from Yemen. Two students, new to our school, have had difficulty blending with other students in their grade due to the lack of English language skills. I would not survive very well if I were dropped in another country and asked to learn their language. It has never been my skill. When the drum first arrived, it sat in the middle of my room as I taught. No one wanted to touch it. After a few days I asked if anyone had any skills with drumming. The students from one of my fifth grade classes, offered up the names of the students from Yemen, Mohamed and Ali, saying that during lunch they bang on the table. They heard their names, but had no idea why. Asked the older of the two to come up. I showed him by example, that if you hit the drum in different spots you created different sounds. He smiled. I guided him to sit down and he looked up at me for approval. I nodded.

  What happened next was a great surprise to us all. He tapped on all the sides, found the different sides and went town. I wish Donors Choose allowed video. I can only believe that it was cultural. Something that was a part of his upbringing, because he played like he had been doing it since birth. It allowed two students that would have graduated this year under the radar to have their names known. I am looking forward too adding them to the band.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. K

• Girls Rock 2 !!!

  Funded Feb 28, 2019

  Three years ago, at the age of 47, I decided to take guitar lessons. During my lunch periods I would practice, and as the fifth graders would come up from lunch they'd pass my room and hear me play. A few would ask me to teach them. I told them if they came up during their lunch I would show them what I know. Mind you I am a computer/math teacher, with very large, clumsy hands and no musical gene in my family. Twelve boys and girls started showing up, and after three weeks it dwindled down to five girls, but they continued to come, so I continued teaching how to read TABS.

  Three years later, again I am down to five girls. Myla, Esmeralda, Gabriella, Maryam and Sherlyn, are five of the most amazing, young ladies I have had the opportunity to work with. They are sponges and have made me work very hard. The first day they learned how to read music and were able to play "Ode to Joy". The second day, Myla asked if I'd teach her "Come As You Are", by Nirvana. My mouth dropped and I asked if I could adopt her. So, I tabbed it out for her and within ten minutes they were all playing it.

  I made them the deal that if they continued to show up, that I would write a grant for electric guitars. Well they showed up and then so did you. You showed up when no one else did and the impact it has made on these ladies will be lifelong. I took a video of them walking into the room and seeing the guitars, and unwrapping them, and playing them for the first time....WOW! Thank you for giving me that moment that meant so much to them and brought such joy into my heart. If we do nothing else this year, but this, we have added beauty into the world. It has given them so much more than music. It has given them confidence and respect from their fellow fifth graders.

  I told them the greatest thing they will ever play is a Hendrix version of the "Star Spangled Banner", (Bending, Pull Offs and Hammer Ons, Vibrato and Slides). On Monday, April 29th, Myla stood in front of the third, fourth and fifth grades, and over 30 staff, on stage, by herself and played the "Star Spangled Banner". She killed it, to a standing ovation! Her father said he had never seen her so happy.

  Next Friday we are playing for a second-grade class that will be opening their "Reading Rock Cafe". They will be playing and singing their first complete song, "Time of Your Life" by Green Day. I brought in a bass guitar for them to try and Sherlyn picked it up within 20 minutes. Two of the young ladies, Esmeralda and Maryam will be singing lead, while Gabriella, AKA "Savage", her rock name, (she chose), will be playing rhythm guitar, Myla, lead guitar and Sherlyn, bass guitar on their first school performance of "We Got The Beat", by the Go-Gos. It's been a little over a month and a half with your gift, and they have come so far! They have also learned the main riffs for "Seven Nations Army" by Jack White, "Sunshine of your Love" by Eric Clapton (Cream), "Sweet Child of Mine" by Slash (Guns and Roses), "Crazy Train" by Randy Rhodes (Ozzy), "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple, "Thunderstruck" by AC DC. Yes, they have kept me busy, but what a great reason for getting up every morning!

  P.S. Still Trying to find a way of getting you the videos. MarkKoesterich@gmail.com”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. K

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 11 other donors.

• Girls Rock!

  Funded May 31, 2016

  Imagine that ROCK MOMENT when you get on stage, plug in your electric guitar and play in front of everyone you know...and kill it! That is the experience that you have helped me give these ladies. Each one went up, one by one and played a piece they had learned in just a few short months, once a week. But I do have to give props to Alexandra, who played a Hendrix version of the star spangled banner, during the opening ceremony. Hammer-ons....pull-offs....slides and then she stumbled, losing her place. She looked up at me as if she were done and going to walk off stage. I looked at her and said finish what you started. She looked down, put her fingers in place and continued where she left off finishing with an incredible vibrato. She cried a little off stage, but the girls came to her rescue. That was it the best lesson I had taught all year, the one that I knew would make the difference...Finish what you start!

  The one she will remember forever.

  The experience you have given to both the girls and myself.

  Thank you for giving me that.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. K