Past projects 2
Active Seating, Active Minds
Funded Feb 20, 2021Last spring because of your generosity I received 7 wiggle stools. I remember feeling supported and appreciated, reminded that the community has my back. It truly takes a village to raise a child, and when I knew that our ´village´ cared about what happened here in my room even if they would never see these 4 walls, it raised my hopes that this spring wouldn´t be wasted after all.
My students were amazed by these new tools, and used them every single day. The class was divided into two groups last spring, and so every student had access to a wiggle stool whenever they wanted. It was an immense help when we didn´t have access to a carpet like normal. Students quickly learned to switch between their chair and wiggle seat as needed, thus helping them to focus throughout the day.
This year, I have the honor of moving up a grade, and thus keeping almost all of my students. A few new students have found the stools to be extra helpful as they have more energy throughout the day. I am thankful every day that I have the option to give students these small ways to participate and be active at the same time.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jordan
Authentic Voices, Authentic Books
Funded Oct 9, 2020When I first saw that people had given to my project, I literally gasped and barely refrained from cheering in the middle of a café. As soon as I was able to contain my excitement about receiving so many authentic Spanish books - I was overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the thoughtfulness of so many people - people I knew and strangers alike. This year has not been like anything anyone could have imagined, but in that moment, I was reminded that I wasn't alone - that teachers were not alone in the battle to provide quality education.
Every day for the last few months, my Instructional Assistant and I have been reading these wonderful books to our students, allowing them to be exposed to and dig into the language they call their native tongue, enjoying the lyrical nature of some books, laughing at the jokes and silly pictures in others. For those moments it did not seem like we are miles away from each other.
While we have enjoyed these books this year, next year I am even more excited to spend time learning the new vocabulary from around the world. I also plan to create a special place the the classroom for these books and other books written in Spanish first. I can not wait to use these books to create a place where all Latino and Hispanic cultures are honored, including the words and phrases unique to each area.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jordan