Past projects 3
Let's Read!
Funded Mar 25, 2019Thank you so much for your generous support of my classroom library through funding this project. As a new teacher, I inherited a sparse classroom library with decades-old books. While some of the classics worked to inspire some students, a large number of my students failed to connect with any literature in my room. Research shows that strong readers love reading, and we need to find books that excite students of a variety of different backgrounds and interests in order to spark their love for reading. The books I purchased with your support did just that. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Magnuson
The Basics!
Funded Mar 26, 2019Thank you so much for supporting the multiple learning styles of my young learners, for this year and many years to come. Research shows that it is important for students to engage with information in a variety of modalities. The principles of Universal Design for Learning require that students with special needs in particular are offered multiple means of representation, of action and expression, and of engagement. It turns out that this is best practice to ensure all students learn -- and it requires materials just like those you provided.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Magnuson
How Can You Learn When You're Uncomfortable?
Funded Sep 23, 2018Thank you so much for supporting my first project ever, dedicated to shaping our classroom environment in service of kids' individual learning needs and preferences. Your support made an immediate impact! Our entire classroom was transformed with the use of choice seating, noise-canceling headphones, book bins, fidgets, timers, and other tools that students learned to use judiciously when they help them learn.
During independent and group work time, students usually have the opportunity to choose where they will work based on what works best for them. We have had ongoing conversations about what it means to be a writer, reader, or mathematician, and how knowing how you learn is critical to success! Selecting the right space and tools to learn does not only improve students' productivity in the moment; it is also a skill that they need as learners throughout their lives.
Students have learned responsibility and how to take care of their learning space with the help of these tools. They use fidgets and noise-canceling headphones only when they help to concentrate, and not otherwise. They took on the project of organizing our library into genre bins with enthusiasm. In so doing, they learned how to differentiate between different types of literature, built their organizational skills, and helped us all take care of a valuable shared resource.
When you walk into my classroom today, you will notice a room shaped to the needs and preferences of the students. They take ownership over the space and therefore their learning. The impact on their learning and on who they are as learners is immeasurable. Again, I can't express enough my appreciation for your quick and generous support. It means more than I can say.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Magnuson