Past projects 2
Help My Students Flex Into a Brighter Future
Funded Jan 20, 2022My students were so excited the day items started to appear. When I got everything in my classroom, they were so excited to choose their own seats. Many students choose to sit in the same places now every day. I had students that always wanted to sit in the back of the class when I had desk, but now that these seating options are available, they have chosen to move to the front. Students are more comfortable. Participation has gone up in class discussions. Students that did not participate before in class unless called upon are not participating in class discussions without being prompted to do so by the teacher. I also have had several students that had failing grades before the seating become motivated and have made C's on report cards since then. Group work is easier now. I can assign groups or partners where they sit. Some students still choose to sit in the desk that I kept. Students help each other stay on task. When each other is struggling, they are in closer proximity to work together and assist. My tardy referrals have also decreased dramatically because students want to get to class to get a seat they like. They also have not been possessive over their new seats and understand it is first come first serve.
I could not be happier with how this has impacted my class. I thank each and every one of you for your help in making my dream classroom come true. I plan to continue this seating and improve upon my teaching strategies to get all that I can out of these seats for years to come. Again THANK YOU!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mason
This classroom project was brought to life by Townsend Press and 10 other donors.Up, Up, and Away with Knowledge
Funded Oct 17, 2016"The Power of Place" allows my students to take a different look at similar material that I am teaching as well as what they are reading in their textbooks. The book calls the students to question some of the theories in ways I can not possibly get them to understand by reading the textbook. De Blij points out several things to the reader about different geographers theories that are not covered in the textbook, but may be seen on the AP exam in May. He also gives the students maps that help make sense of the information that I do not otherwise have. In AP Human Geography, the students have to relate the material to specific examples for the AP exam. With the vast knowledge we must cover throughout the year, it is impossible for me to go through very many examples. This book allows me to do that without spending too much time. De Blij also gives students his personal experiences especially to South Africa, which allows students to understand more about this world we live in from a personal level that I could not provide them.
My students will be reading this book in class and at home. To go with this book, students will either be given questions to answer on each chapter, or they will be writing a chapter summary. I will vary the work from chapter to chapter. Throughout the book we will also hold Socratic seminars to discuss the opinions in the book as it pertains to our class. The Socratic seminars will allow the students to debate their perspective while being respectful and learning a different point-of-view on the same issue. When reading in class, we will read aloud as a class and also have independent reading time as the class permits.
I have several students who aren't seen without a book in their hand. They will actually enjoy doing an assignment for class because they get to read. Without your generous donation, this would not be possible to improve my students knowledge. Many of my students would not have been able to pay for their own copy of the book. As much as they want to succeed, sometimes their financial situation holds them back.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mason