Mr. Jackson's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 56

• Webcams for Mobile Podcasters

  Funded Apr 23, 2017

  Hurricane Harvey has slowed us down a little bit this year but we have already started our field trips. In some of the pictures you will see a student in the clown barrel or the Justin Sports Medicine Trailer. I would love to show the video but it was on Facebook live in a closed group of Athletic Trainers working in high school settings. I posted it there so they could share the video with their students. Your gifts are making that possible. At the Rodeo Sports Medicine event our students were able to see something very similar to what we do at the high school, but in a trailer and with cowboys. While essentially similar the treatments, policies and procedures are different. They really enjoyed it and I am glad I was able to share our trip with so many others.

  We have been able to meet leaders in the profession like the president of the NATA or National Athletic Trainers Association, committee chairs, Hall of Fame members and many others. We also have been able to attend, record and broadcast summer workshops hosted by leaders in medicine.

  The new webcam allows us to involve more students during the recordings that occur in class time as well. We stream to multiple platforms and students control the camera angle and view for each one.

  This summer I was able to meet a lot of people who listen regularly to the show we produce. They were very grateful for the work we are doing to promote and improve the profession of Athletic Training. It is because of the generosity of donors like you that allows us to continue to expand our program. This month we will eclipse 300,000 total downloads. That means my students have been part of creating content that people have consumed 300,000 times.

  Thank you , Thank you, Thank you”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

• Take a Recording, It Will Last Longer

  Funded Dec 6, 2016

  Through this and related projects I have been able to bring school board members into our classroom to promote our program and our students as well as educate them about Sports Medicine. We have been able to go on location with a manufacturer and help film a how-to video for assembling equipment we use each week. The students have learned to communicate with professionals in a field they desire to seek a career in. This summer we will be attending summer workshops to record professional development sessions and interview the speakers. This project has been a great way to expand our classroom and bring in a vast number of people.

  We have had administrators and teacher come watch what we are doing in hopes of implementing something similar. This piece of equipment is great because we can continue to use it for a long time.

  With each addition we make our classroom better because you have chosen to give .”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

• Keep The Team On The Court

  Funded Feb 1, 2016

  If pictures really talked you would hear a lot of groaning. The foam rollers and lacrosse balls have become a staple in our treatment plans for our athletes. After a few times on them the groans have died down and the benefit has really sunk in. If we had not benefited from the kindness of your donations we would still have kids lined up waiting their turn on the roller. Our doctors visit and missed playing time have already decreased by regular implementation.

  I personally use this equipment several times a week when I work on my own fitness. this equipment is so great because it is completely reusable time and time again.

  Your donations have allowed us to partner with Airrosti to help lead classes in foam rolling and self myofascial release. Now we have the equipment for more experienced professionals to help us. I really love the foam rollers and the ability it gives us to teach students ways to care for their bodies with very inexpensive equipment.

  Y'all are always amazing at supporting classrooms, even if they look more like a physical therapy clinic. Thank You”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

• Professional Podcasters

  Funded Mar 6, 2015

  I learned a lot from Podcast Movement 2015.

  Cliff Ravenscraft encouraged me to get to know the people who listen to our podcast.

  Jeff Brown showed me how to ask better questions and get a great interview every time (I still need a lot of practice.)

  Kate Erickson discussed ways to greatly simplify my whole workflow.

  I met the person behind the microphone for several of the podcasts I listen to regularly: Ray Ortega, Daniel J Lewis, David Jackson. I also picked up a few new podcasts because of the speakers at the conference like Pat Flynn.

  If there was a way to take my students to this conference I would, but they change each year. I hope DonorsChoose continues to invest in teachers education as well as improving classrooms. This one one of the most amazing conferences I have attended and plan to attend again in the near future.

  I continue to learn from the conference because they offered a virtual ticket so every session was recorded and I have been able to watch them a little at a time.

  YOU are amazing!

  YOU are AMAZING!!

  YOU ARE AMAZING!!!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.

• Student Designed Pedal-Powered Mobile Charging Stations

  Funded Jan 23, 2015

  This is the project I have been most excited about. It will allow students to build, create and problem solve as well as leave a lasting legacy for years. The soldering irons from DonorsChoose are a crucial part in receiving the larger local grant that we applied for. We received the highest score possible on the grant, however because the grant was $5,000 there was not enough funding for it on the last awards session. We have modified the grant and are re-submitting it in hopes of obtaining funding. Having these materials from gracious DonorsChoose supporters ready and on-hand should increase our chances of obtaining funding. I personally bought a Basis continuous heart rate monitoring watch to become familiar with it in anticipation of receiving the larger grant. I am so thankful you decided to support our project I look forward to being able to report that we have been funded and have begun building our pedal powered bicycle chargers.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

  This classroom project was brought to life by ATPE Foundation and 5 other donors.

• Podcast Movement 2015

  Funded Mar 20, 2015

  I apologize, I did not take very many pictures at all while at Podcast Movement 2015 in Fort Worth. I was overwhelmed by the entire conference. I was taking notes, tweeting and trying my best not to get lost in day-dreams of ideas of how I can implement this new information to improve the Sports Medicine Broadcast. It was an amazing experience.

  Friday I met some listeners of the podcast in Dallas for lunch at an awesome Bar-B-Que restaurant. Here we were able to just hangout and talk. These are fans of the show, they tell other people about it and one of the fans I was able to meet is David Young, one of the people who helped get the project funded.

  Friday night was the Podcast Awards Ceremony where several podcasters gave inspiring speeches of triumph, commitment, failure and gratitude. It was an amazing start to a conference that is a gathering of over 1000 people who normally "hide" behind a microphone.

  Saturday morning there was no shortage of highly valuable information to be gained. The best part about the entire workshop is the virtual ticket because it seemed that every session I went to had another one at the same time that I wanted to attend as well. I will be able to go back and watch every session I attended or was unable to attend.

  One of the big questions I wanted answered is how can I encourage interaction and engagement with listeners to the Sports Medicine Broadcast and the session from Cliff Ravenscraft really helped. One piece of advice was to know the first and last name, email address and 2 facts about at least 10% of your listeners. So first thing I did Monday when I got home was email some of the people on the subscription list and tell them I wanted to know more about them. Surprisingly they offered more information than I even asked for.

  Another big question I had was how can I improve the quality of content and questions we are asking. The session from Jeff Brown gave some great tips for always asking good questions. From that session I now have a post-it note on my computer that reads "one more question." because the best interviewers listen to what the guest is saying and ask them questions that follow that train of thought rather than sticking to bullet point questions.

  My biggest highlights of the entire conference came from meeting several of the people face to face that I listen to and regard as experts in the podcasting world and randomly going to lunch with some fellow conference attendees and having fun conversations with very different but like-minded people.

  I have already began to work on improving the workflow, efficiency, content and production of the Sports Medicine Broadcast. I would not have been able to attend this great event without the support of DonorsChoose and the donors that supported me on this new project. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.

• Sitting Leads to Disabiltiy, Maybe Not with Wobbly Chairs

  Funded Oct 10, 2014

  We wanted to explore which seat was the most comfortable but allowed us to move around. We have come to a conclusion that the medicine ball chair (the black one) is the favorite. The green Hoke Stool is second and then the orange medicine ball is the least favorite. The Medicine ball chair gives the stability and comfort students are used to but still creates a need for balance and allows movement for those with extra energy. The orange medicine ball is too short for our high school students to use comfortably.

  With this project we hoped to research and decide on a product that would make the biggest impact with our students. I feel that is exactly what has happened. In general students are excited to sit in the chairs, but like with most people the inclination to be lazy is strong at times. Once we complete our wobbly chair project and remove all of the normal chairs from our classroom then I feel the students will really begin to appreciate and embrace the chance to move around.

  If you had not supported our classroom then we would not be as likely to obtain funding in the future. Nor would we have been as satisfied with the end product since you have given us the opportunity to explore. We have even used them in our weekly podcast for some of our guests. thanks for continually investing in our students and our future.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

• AEDs Save Lives (If You Know How to Use One)

  Funded Oct 11, 2013

  The students are used to me giving them prompts to follow during our CPR / AED training, but they were a little confused and unprepared while using the practice AED for the first time. Our second round of practice with the Zoll AED Trainer was much better than the first. In my opinion this is justification enough for the device. each time we practice with the AED trainer my students will build their confidence and ability to use an Automated External Defibrillator if the situation ever calls for it. They also enjoy the change of voice instead of hearing me all the time.

  I look forward to continually improving my students ability to manage medical care in a crisis or emergency situation.

  Thanks for your help and support. Thank you for believing in me as a teacher and my students as future health care providers.

  I apologize for it taking so long to post the pictures and thank you note, but there have been a few delays in getting it to us. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments about our Sports Medicine class / Athletic Training program.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

• Sports Medicine Broadcast Expansion

  Funded Feb 16, 2013

  Looking at the pictures I have uploaded you will notice we have a lot going on. There are many microphones and cable, monitors and headphones. Each student has at least one job during the podcast. Recently we have had two guests via Skype which mean the only way to hear the conversation is with headphones on. Without your donations to purchase headphones and a headphone amp two of our students would not be able hear or really participate in those episodes.

  The new microphone and microphone stand give us more options for setting up and allow more students to be involved in the interactions with our guests. The students will be completing a survey at the end of the course to get their feedback about the podcasting experience; how it has benefited them, what they really enjoyed and how we can continue to improve the show.

  Each piece of equipment or device we add to our show helps us reach more people, involve more students and attract more guests. The very first pieces of equipment we received for the Sports Medicine Broadcast were from donors like you. Thanks so much for supporting us as we attempt to change the future and give our students an unforgettable high school experience. Again I invite you to find our show on your favorite podcasting host or listen live almost every Wednesday.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

• Enhance Our Podcast With Webcam Footage

  Funded Oct 5, 2012

  Please feel free to search the Sports Medicine Broadcast on Ustream.tv or YouTube to see some of our recent work. Our video has greatly improved since receiving this equipment from y'all. We have been able to incorporate 4 different camera angles and giving one student per show a specific role in increasing our production value. We recently did a broadcast in which the video software failed and we could only stream audio, both our students and our guests commented on the lack of video. Our students enjoy learning and speaking with sports medicine professionals.

  We have been working on different setups and configurations to create a reliable video stream with our new high quality video devices. The setup and testing has given us another benefit that I did not anticipate...problem solving. Each time we add a piece of equipment, software or new component we have to figure out how it works and fits into our program.

  Thank you DonorsChoose.org for connecting Dr. Lowe, Kia Motors USA and anonymous donors with our classrooms and supporting my student as we build a classroom without walls.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Jackson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Kia Motors America and 4 other donors.