Mr. Firestein's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 21

• A Quiet and Calm Corner (Part 2)

  Funded Feb 1, 2025

  I am thrilled to share the incredible impact that our newly created calming and quiet corner has had on my students. Thanks to the generous support we received, this space has quickly become an essential part of our classroom, providing students with a safe and welcoming environment to manage stress, refocus, and develop emotional resilience.

  The rocking chair and lighting have transformed a small corner of the room into a peaceful retreat where students can take a break when they feel overwhelmed. The sensory tools, fidget toys, and art supplies have given them hands-on ways to regulate their emotions, express themselves creatively, and practice mindfulness. Even something as simple as the snacks have helped create a space that feels rewarding and supportive, reinforcing the idea that their emotional well-being matters. I can reward students for getting tutored outside of class time, motivating them to ask questions and get extra help when they need it. Beyond individual benefits, this space has helped foster a classroom culture of empathy and understanding, as students recognize the importance of taking care of their mental health.

  This project has not only improved academic engagement but also given students the tools to navigate their emotions more effectively—skills that will benefit them far beyond the classroom. I am deeply grateful for the support that made this possible, and I look forward to seeing the continued positive impact this space will have on my students.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Firestein

  This classroom project was brought to life by Olga Graham Inspiring Teachers Fund and 7 other donors.

• A Quiet and Calm Corner

  Funded Jan 31, 2025

  I am thrilled to share the incredible impact that our newly created calming and quiet corner has had on my students. Thanks to the generous support we received, this space has quickly become an essential part of our classroom, providing students with a safe and welcoming environment to manage stress, refocus, and develop emotional resilience.

  The rocking chair and lighting have transformed a small corner of the room into a peaceful retreat where students can take a break when they feel overwhelmed. The sensory tools, fidget toys, and art supplies have given them hands-on ways to regulate their emotions, express themselves creatively, and practice mindfulness. Even something as simple as the snacks have helped create a space that feels rewarding and supportive, reinforcing the idea that their emotional well-being matters. I can reward students for getting tutored outside of class time, motivating them to ask questions and get extra help when they need it. Beyond individual benefits, this space has helped foster a classroom culture of empathy and understanding, as students recognize the importance of taking care of their mental health.

  This project has not only improved academic engagement but also given students the tools to navigate their emotions more effectively—skills that will benefit them far beyond the classroom. I am deeply grateful for the support that made this possible, and I look forward to seeing the continued positive impact this space will have on my students.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Firestein

  This classroom project was brought to life by Olga Graham Inspiring Teachers Fund and 11 other donors.

• Getting Started in 2024!

  Funded Aug 14, 2024

  I want to express my deepest gratitude for your generous contributions to our classroom. Thanks to your support, we have started the school year with the essential supplies that will make a tremendous difference for our students. The shelves, bins, bandaids, paper, batteries, pens, and tissues have already begun creating a more organized and welcoming learning environment.

  The shelves are helping us store books and bulky materials, freeing up precious floorspace and allowing the students more room to move and engage in activities comfortably. The bins will be used for a variety of purposes, including organizing our classroom and holding art projects—especially our new knitting projects! Middle school students will have the opportunity to learn knitting as a way to foster creativity, develop patience, and find a sense of calm, all of which support their mental wellness. This is such a valuable skill, and your donation has made it possible for us to offer this special opportunity.

  Additionally, the paper and pens will help ensure every student is prepared for in-class essays, while the tissues, bandaids, and other materials will ensure that we can meet students' everyday needs. Your contribution has set the tone for a positive, well-resourced learning environment, and we are so appreciative.

  Thank you again for your generosity and for believing in the importance of education and wellness for our students.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Firestein

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 8 other donors.

• What Did He Say? Speakers!

  Funded Jan 12, 2023

  I am writing this letter to express my gratitude for your generous contribution towards the purchase of wireless speakers for my classroom. Your act of kindness has not only made my job easier but also created a positive and motivating learning environment for my students.

  I believe that a calm and relaxed atmosphere allows students to focus better and achieve their academic goals. However, achieving this goal was always a challenge due to the lack of necessary resources. But, thanks to your contribution, I can finally create an environment where students can learn comfortably.

  The wireless speakers have allowed me to play music in the background while students work. The soothing tunes, usually jazz or classical, not only create a relaxed atmosphere but also motivate the students to focus, and they seem to enjoy it.

  Moreover, the speakers also let me to use a microphone to communicate with the class effectively. In the past, I have had difficulty in making myself heard by all students due to the classroom's size and acoustics. However, with a microphone, I can speak at a normal volume, and every student can hear me loud and clear. This makes teaching and communication a lot easier, and I am grateful for your contribution that made it possible.

  Your donation has made a significant impact on the lives of my students and me. Your kindness has not only provided us with necessary resources, but it has also shown my students that there are people who care about their education and well-being, and I cannot thank you enough for it.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Firestein

• Starting the Year Right

  Funded Aug 21, 2022

  As I was selecting the photos I wanted to upload to show the impact your donation had on my class, it struck me as a bit funny. I took a photo of some note cards, and one of some dry erase markers... It's all the invisible parts of a class that don't seem to matter. Who notices whether or not the teacher has extra lined paper? But the truth is, if it isn't the -- in the background of the class -- it severely impacts the class as well as the kids who need those materials. And the truth is, most kids won't need flash cards because they bring their own, and they'll never need my construction paper because their parents take them to the store when they need art supplies. But those kids are not alone. They sit next to kids who don't remember their folders, have a hard time getting motivated to study vocabulary on cards, or who don't live with someone able to take them to an art supplies store. So on their behalf, I want to thank you for giving them some of what they need to succeed this year.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Firestein

• Busy Hands, Busy Minds

  Funded Sep 23, 2021

  This donation request was a new one for me. My students in AP Seminar are exceptionally high performing, and we spend time in the beginning of the year deconstructing the habits of highly effective think-tanks. We study the origin of ideas based on the premise that collaboration and camaraderie not only effectively identifies problems of high-relevance but begins to generate solutions to those problems.

  My students were attracted to two models: Google and the Coffee-shop model. The later features an informal and relaxed atmosphere of discussion with fluid groups while the later, as they understood, was characterized by bursts of intense and focused productivity blended with periods of play and relaxation. To this end, we thought we should get some toys.

  For a class as rigorous as theres, maybe this isn't a good thing, but when they saw the toys, they LOST THEIR MINDS. They love having things to fidget with and manipulate both during conversations with one another as well as working intensely and independently. More often than not, I'm the one who has to tell his 11th graders that it's time to put the toys away. Thank you so much for your vision and support!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Firestein

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 12 other donors.

• Absurd Books for Absurd Times

  Funded Mar 16, 2021

  Thank you for generously supporting the purchase of class sets of Camus's The Stranger. As I sit in class right now, in front of me are students that are not mine, watching teachers on a screen with headphones and masks, trying not to be distracted by me, as I speak on a computer screen to my own students, who are either at home or in other classrooms a few hundred feet away. I cannot think of a better time to read this novel!

  On the surface Camus' The Stranger is a story about crime and punishment. The story falls into two parts; in the first part a man kills another man, and in the second part he is put on trial and punished. It has also been noted that in many ways the novel resembles American detective stories, but the crime and punishment part of the story does not explain the novel's popularity, and there is no doubt that The Stranger remains one of the most popular 20th century novels. This popularity is a result of the novel's treatment of Existentialist themes, and in particular, its picture of an alienated hero caught up in an absurd world.

  As we read, my students are forced to ask, what gives their own lives meaning, even when the universe is reluctant to show you its own -- if it does indeed have one, and Camus is hostile to that very idea. Ultimately, what is it that gives a "precious quality" to a life in the world? Here we can turn to Meursault's, the protagonist's, most precious memories in prison, and they are his memories of the simple physical pleasures of being alive, e.g., of the warm sun overhead, the cool water of the ocean, the salt air, the wonderful summer nights on the Mediterranean, sex, etc. When the Priest asks him whether he has seen the "face of the divine" on the walls of his prison cell, Meursault replies that he has searched only for his lover's face and "the flame of desire," and for Meursault it is, along with the other physical pleasures of being alive, enough to make life precious. Like Sisyphus, Meursault finds the world absurd, yet at the same time he also finds that he has been "happy."

  Again, it is with genuine sincerity that I offer you thanks for investing in the lives of my kids.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Firestein

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 9 other donors.

• Get Up and Learn

  Funded Feb 1, 2021

  Thank you SO MUCH for finding it in your hearts to donate to this project.

  I've been using the iPad in all kinds of unexpected and surprising ways. It turns out that a lot of the programs we use in school are easier to use on the iPad. Grading has become more efficient, which translates to faster feedback for my kiddos. Also, Using the iPad allows me to double enroll on Zoom, so I can better monitor my students in breakout rooms; it's like an extra set of eyes and ears, and this alone has made this priceless.

  When we return to class, I'll be using the iPad to keep kids out in the fresh air, whenever possible. They'll be on their chromebooks, and I'll be able to pick up and stay productive along with them.

  Once again, I appreciate your support of public education, in general, and my kids specifically.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Firestein

• Filming Extraordinary Ideas

  Funded Sep 30, 2019

  Thank you for your generous donation to our classroom project. Although I plan on using the equipment for a variety of film projects in the future, most immediately, they will go towards the production of a synthetic interview website. This is a student-centered and technology-rich project that transforms core content into interactive interviews. First developed by students at Carnegie Mellon University during the Spring of 2008, this technology allows an individual to have a virtual conversation with a character or persona, as if that person were present in real-time, responding to a pre-recorded series of questions. These web-based interviews have allowed audiences to interact with such figures as George Washington and Charles Darwin, sharing knowledge in new ways with a global community.

  The questions are grounded in content, researched, scripted, revised, rehearsed, and then performed on film by our students. Once students finish editing these short responses, they upload them into a web template that will serve as the user interface. Once online, anyone can access this student-project to select a question from a student-created menu of questions that triggers a virtual conversation. This project will be done in a 10th grade Honors English classroom, as we thematically explore the ideas of the Modern Age through philosophy and literature. Students will research, design, script, portray, and record themselves as Montaigne, Rousseau, Descartes, David Hume, J.D. Salinger, and others in this interactive learning project.

  As a class, we will deconstruct the synthetic interview project from Carnegie Mellon and adapt it to our needs. This will require fulfilling the California Common Core Standards of technological literacy and creative publication: both long-term objectives in the background of my English class. Students must learn how to create and publish an appropriate web-platform that will require them to learn some elements of web-design. I've done this before using free web tools such as Weebly and Wix, and I plan on using that experience with my new students.

  The overall goals for this project are to generate excitement, investment, and relevance in core content, develop research skills based on English and Language Arts standards, work cooperatively and creatively as described by Common Core, and foster collateral learning in the technical arts of multimedia and web-design as well as new media creation. This will be accomplished by creating web platform for an interactive experience that shares content knowledge with the world.

  Thank you again for your belief in a quality education for all, and your support of my classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Firestein

  This classroom project was brought to life by District Partnership Program and 11 other donors.