Past projects 23
Becoming Confident Readers
Funded Nov 15, 2013I can't thank you enough for your generosity and partnership in supporting my students' literacy development. Many of my students have experienced year after year of reading failure. When I put "right-fit" books in their hands, they begin to experience success, and "I can't" attitudes change to "I can" attitudes.
My students read every day, and soon they had finished reading everything I had at their level. They began to get discouraged. But your donations changed everything! I saw frustrated faces light up when our new books began to arrive. They had choices again! They devoured the new books and are now able to tackle the next level! This would not have been possible without the ample practice your gifts provided.
In order to improve at anything, we need to practice, and your donations of high-interest, low-readability books have given my students this valuable opportunity to practice. Words are not enough to say thank you. Your gift has opened up new opportunities for success and enthusiasm for reading. Non-readers are becoming readers and that is a gift which will last a lifetime. Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Marty
Using iPads in the Classroom
Funded Oct 20, 2013Thank you sincerely for your generosity. With your donations, I was able to customize 3 iPads in my classroom. The cases and screen protectors have given students the freedom to transport and use the iPads without worry of damage. This has increased their independence tremendously.
Students are using these protected iPads in so many ways. They love to read story e-books, take Accelerated Reader (AR) quizzes, and build vocabulary using the iPads. And because they are fully protected, there is no more "stay in your seat" rule; students freely move about the classroom collaborating with peers and sharing their successes.
The headphones have helped to individualize learning. One student can listen to a book while another records himself reading and plays it back to check his fluency.
Digital learning is such a powerful tool, and our iPads are getting high usage. With the resources you have given us, I can rest assured that these iPads will remain protected and accessible for many years to come.
Thank you again for your generosity and support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Marty
Learning To Read And Write With iPads
Funded Aug 30, 2013Thank you sincerely for your partnership in my students' education. As we waited for the iPads to arrive, my students asked me each day, "We're getting ipads?" They wanted to make sure it was real. They couldn't contain their excitement.
These iPads have provided infinite opportunities to develop literacy skills. One of their favorite activities is a word-finding center. I loaded sight word apps on the ipad, and students look for target words in the application. Then they write them down, practice reading them, and use the iPad to record themselves reading the words. This has been an excellent way for my students to build their vocabulary and word knowledge.
My students also love using the iPads to take Accelerated Reader (AR) quizzes. School-wide, this program is a motivator to our students as they work to read more books, increase word counts, and meet goals. The iPads allow them to immediately take a quiz after reading a book, immediately see the feedback, and visually keep track of their progress. They are reading more and more and they love it!
The iPads have opened up a new realm of possibilities for my students, especially those with visual impairments, motor problems, and reading difficulties. Through the iPad they are now able to access Bookshare which makes books accessible to these students. It allows them to change the font and background colors, enlarge the font, and follow along with the words as the book is read aloud to them. It's unlocked a whole new world!
Students also enjoy using the iPads just for fun. They enjoy interactive storybook apps which strengthen literacy. Reading is fun, and even more fun with the right technology and tools. Thank you for providing these tools to my students. Your generosity has helped make them enthusiastic learners.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Marty
This classroom project was brought to life by Kia Motors America and 3 other donors.