Past projects 5
Hear Hear!
Funded Sep 19, 2021First off, let me say THANK YOU for funding my project so quickly! I am always reminded of the support that I have when one of my projects gets fulfilled within a few days.
This project was special because it impacted every single 3rd grader at Shwab, around 55 kids! They were so excited when I got to give each of them a brand new pair of headphones to use at school. We labeled each one with their name and found places to store the headphones safely. Students keep headphones at school, but are able to use them in all three of their class.
Last year our school district purchased laptops for each student, which is amazing, but as you can imagine things get a bit noisy when multiple students are working on their computer programs at the same time. The headphones you helped purchase make all the difference for teachers and for students!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Porter
We're Getting Organized!
Funded Jan 3, 2021What a difference an easel and an organization cart can make in the life of a fourth grade teacher!! Thank you so much for your generosity in supporting this project.
I use both items daily. Every morning, my students walk in and read the morning message that I have written to them on the easel, and I store any books we're reading, white boards, and markers that are frequently used in the organization cart.
The part part about these items is that they will continue to help myself and my students for years to come! Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Porter
Lights, Camera, Action!
Funded Aug 20, 2020Thank you again for your contribution to my class! You have made virtually learning a lot more motivating and enjoyable for my fourth graders.
Students have had to adjust in ways I never thought was possible, and it can be very difficult to find the motivation to independently complete work when you are only in 4th grade. Once I had the incentive of mailing students a letter and stickers every week, my kids were far more excited about getting their work done. Who doesn't love stickers?!
The ring light and laptop stand helped my home office setup so much! Students are able to see me more clearly, which leads to better engagement. We are now back in the classroom, but we are on standby as to whether we will go back virtually soon.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Porter
Creating a Culturally Inclusive Classroom
Funded Aug 3, 2020Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your donation and effort in bringing this project to life. When I pulled up to my school, our administrative assistant said, "Oh do I have boxes for you!", and did she ever! I now have my virtual classroom, also known as my basement office, completely full of beautiful children's literature! The books are full of life lessons about empathy, embracing differences, and showing perseverance in tough times. More than ever I feel the charge to include this in my curriculum.
Everyone loves being read to (c'mon, admit it, you do too!), but some of the books I picked for this project speak to particular students. So far we've read The Day You Begin, by Jacqueline Woodson, which helped kids feel accepted for who they are. We've also read Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal, which brought great conversations around our names and why some of them are longer than others, or spelled differently.
For at least the next month I will continue to teach virtually from my cozy basement virtual classroom. During that time we will keep enjoying these books over video calls. Once we get back in the building I am looking forward to kids getting their hands on these books, or at least be able to see the illustrations up closer. I thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Porter
A Rug with a Purpose: Community and Learning
Funded May 7, 2016Wow, I can not begin to start explaining what a positive impact this special rug has had on our class! This year our district has a huge focus on social and emotional learning, and this rug is exactly what we needed. With this rug we are able to start out each and every day sitting in the circle to greet each other and participate in different team building activities. Last year we were limited on what activities we could do, and kiddos were squished due to the size of our rug. I can see how our morning meetings on the rug have helped build community in this class.
As you may know, this is my second year with this group of students, so they more or less knew what to expect when they walked in the door on the first day of August. Although much of our classroom was set up the same, their eyes lit up when they saw our new, huge, colorful rug. They could not wait to find "their spot" on the rug.
Along with our new rug helping our social and emotional learning, we use it every single day for academics as well. The different blocks of color help me by assigning different groups of students to a space on the rug. For example, during our literacy center, students who are writing know to grab a clip board and work on the red and green squares, while students reading magazines relax and read on the purple and blue portion. The rug just so happens to be students' favorite place to work in the classroom!
Thank you again for your donations. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child, and your generosity does not go unnoticed.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Porter