Project Projector to Project Visuals for Dynamic Learning

Funded Aug 13, 2019

I want to start off by thanking you all for the tremendous gift of a projector for my classroom. It has, in many ways, transformed the way I approach my lesson plans and allows me to make my lectures more interactive and engaging for my students.

One of my first implementations has been to take samples of student writing, project it on the whiteboard, and then, as a class, revise it using dry erase markers. This allows me to literally walk my students step by step through the revision process in an interactive way that doesn't just tell them what to do but shows them how to do it.

It has also been a huge help when it comes to taking notes on lectures. For many of my students, there has always been a sense of frustration with lesson plans that involve me using a PowerPoint or other types of visuals because that used to mean trying to follow along on a small TV screen with impossible to read text. Now, thanks to you donations, I can project my PowerPoints large enough that the students can easily see and follow along. As a result, the quality of note taking has increased across the board.

I just started some student presentations with my Juniors and, thus far, they seem to be enjoying the experience far more than my students last year, in part, because they have been able to effectively show off their presentations that they put a great amount of work into. While many still dread the process public speaking, one student, Mateo, who I had in my class last year and has shared his dislike of public speaking on more than one occasion, noted that there is a big difference between doing a presentation on the TV and using the projector: "I felt like more of a professional because [the audience] can see everything I am talking about, which makes them more engaged ... It makes me feel like people are actually listening to what I say, and that what I say matters."

While a basic projector may not appear to be the biggest game changer for a classroom, as an educator I have immediately been able to see my students' engagement in class steadily increase since I started mixing the projector into my lessons. My students and I are so thankful for your generous donation!”

With gratitude,

Mr. Reaber