Past projects 3
Between the World and Me in the Classroom
Funded Feb 5, 2020Thank you so much for your generosity and care for my students. Through your assistance in funding this project, I am able to go on a significant and important journey with my students as we read, analyze, and discuss Coates' powerful work. I could not have done this without you. Thank you again for your support of public education and classrooms that seek to prepare the next generation for the complex world that they face every day.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Read
Creating Artists Through the Power of Programmable Robots
Funded Mar 15, 2017Teaching computer science this past year was an amazing experience. I got to see my students grow and learn in ways that were unheard of in my career prior to this experience. We focused on learning Javascript, and we used an excellent curriculum provided by Codehs.com. However, another key component to our classroom were the hands-on robots that your generous donation provided. What we were learning on the screen was able to be transferred to the concrete world in a very memorable and engaging way.
As we progress through the 21st century, the experiences that your donations made possible have helped my student be more prepared the jobs of tomorrow. In addition, computer science is one of the few college degrees today that can provide students will the skills, knowledge, and background necessary to propel them into some of the most lucrative and in-demand jobs in existence today. With all of the discussion going on about "preparing our students for the world of tomorrow" you are one of the few people who have actually tried to do this; you have given public school students in 2017 the opportunity to be equipped for the unknown that faces them in the years ahead.
In my project page, you will see some photos that I have included of my students going through the creation process of their paintings. The products were vastly different, but the learning process was the same. They discovered that it was a much more difficult task than it seemed initially, and they quickly realized how significant changes to their plan were made by minuscule external factors like pebbles or slopes in the ground surface. Working through these hurdles was amazing to witness, and I think that without their Spheros, they would have continued to imagine an external world that would perfectly "receive" or "carry out" their written code in exactly the way that they planned or envisioned. This, of course, does not happen, and it is not an issue unique to computer science. In many aspects of lives, we may plan something perfectly, but the actual performance of it introduces unplanned challenges and difficulties. Our project--made possible by generous donors like you--has provided my students with an amazing learning opportunity, and it is almost exclusively made possible through experience; a textbook cannot teach this, and I thank you for the tools that made it possible to provide my students with the setting to teach them this concept.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Read
This classroom project was brought to life by Stavros Niarchos Foundation and 4 other donors.Coding in the Classroom Brought to Robotic Life
Funded Jan 20, 2017When I created this project, I did not know what to expect. I had never created a DonorsChoose campaign, and my hopes for achieving my desired funding level felt distant and ephemeral. However, with your generosity and belief in education, my fears and doubts were erased. Although they may have felt like small donations, your gift to my classroom has made a huge impact.
This was my first year teaching Introduction to Computer Science. Typically, I am a credentialed English teacher who teaches English and Philosophy--a CSU/UC approved History elective. However, this year my administration asked if I was willing to teach a computer science course because I had expressed a desire to teach one a few years ago. Back then, the demand for STEM/STEAM education was just beginning to spread across the country, and it took until this past year for the demand to grow strong enough for our school to pilot a computer science elective.
Going into this year, I made sure to plan extensively and work through the course content prior to the beginning of the school year. One of the greatest unknowns during this process was how I was going to keep the content varied and dynamic. Because learning Javascript was our primary focus for the year, I knew that I wanted to create and seek out opportunities to mix-up our learning and continually introduce new and exciting content to my students. Deciding to explore DonorsChoose, I began to search out customized STEM/STEAM projects that I could employ in my classroom, and through your generosity I was able to make this desire a reality.
Being able to step away from the computer screen and bring their code to life was a magical experience for my students. In fact, in a select number of cases, this project was the catalyst for a process of self-directed learning that is still going on today. I think prior to seeing their code in action as the Ollies raced around the perimeter of our expansive Dance and Science building, these students hadn't fully realized the interaction and fun that can be incorporated into coding and engineering. Now that this bridge has been built, and the students have crossed over into the realm of enjoyment and learning, they have embarked on a life-long journey toward continuing to expand their learning horizons.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Read