Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 12

• Health and Wellness: Promoting Self-Regulation and Community

  Funded Jan 15, 2024

  What a wonderful way to begin the New Year. Students, and staff alike, are always so overwhelmed with joy when we know people care of about us. Especially people and organizations who fund our projects on Donorschoose. Working and attending school isn't always easy, but knowing people out there love educators, students, and learning is a great feeling.

  These items will allow us to recognize and incentivize students to work hard. In addition, many of these items will allow students to continue to utilize coping tools that they need.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.

• Allow Diversified Learners the Visual Models They Need!

  Funded Nov 28, 2023

  The impact of having a document camera in class has been clear, noticeable, and immediate. Our civics and science class have not had access to a document camera, or a device to project in real time. After their arrival, teachers immediately made use of them in their lessons plans as an integral part of the lessons.

  Students are able to take better notes and annotate with a higher level of accuracy when they're able to see it happen in real time in front of them. Students are more engaged and more likely to remain on task.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

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

• Chromebooks in the Classroom

  Funded Jun 24, 2023

  One of the results of COVID is the increase in the use and reliance on technology in the classroom. Currently we are a one-to-one device school where each student has access to a chromebook. Devices are used for research and writing, but teachers can also share Nearpods, videos, slideshows, online textbooks, and so many resources with students so they can be supported and access content/lessons.

  One major problem we encounter is that when students forget their computers at home, or there are repairs that needs to be made, a student may be without a device for a period of time. These donated chromebooks will be used as loaner chromebooks for my group of special education students who are in the inclusion classroom setting. This will allow them to remain up to date and on task.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Supporter and one other donor.

• Incentivize Behavior and Learning

  Funded Mar 4, 2023

  Students are always so pleased and surprised to know that strangers care enough about them to donate to projects posted on DonorsChoose. Currently we've been running weekly raffles with our 8th graders to help shape positive behavior and reward those students who have been doing the right thing. With 100 students and 5 periods a day, we have the potential to use a large amount of raffle tickets. This funded DonorsChoose project has provided us with additional prizes and several rolls of raffle tickets to help us continue these raffles through the year.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

• Health and Wellness: Promoting Self-Regulation and Community

  Funded Jan 2, 2023

  Students are always so very excited when they see that people care about them for no other reason than beyond the fact that they exist. The most exciting item to enter the classroom from this project so far has been the new chair! Students seem to respond to flexible seating and this chair provides a relaxing choice, but also provides sensory support with its bouncing ability.

  We look forward to utilizing our gift cards and crafts for incentives and beginning The Circle Process which will allow us to run the restorative justice circles we would like to ideally have.

  It's take a village and we are so very grateful.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

  This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 6 other donors.

• Chromebooks for Class

  Funded Nov 30, 2022

  One of the results of COVID is the increase in the use and reliance on technology in the classroom. Currently we are a one-to-one device school where each student has access to a chromebook. Devices are used for research and writing, but teachers can also share Nearpods, videos, slideshows, online textbooks, and so many resources with students so they can be supported and access content/lessons.

  One major problem we encounter is that when students forget their computers at home, or there are repairs that needs to be made, a student may be without a device for a period of time. These donated chromebooks will be used as loaner chromebooks for my group of special education students who are in the inclusion classroom setting. This will allow them to remain up to date and on task.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

  This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 9 other donors.

• Can We All Just Calm Down!?

  Funded Sep 20, 2022

  Many of the students I work with have autism, anxiety, and/or ADHD. Many of them benefit from access to sensory materials within the inclusion classroom setting that are unobtrusive and not distracting to themselves and others. An ideal item allows students to meet their sensory needs and to continue learning.

  Students have been excited to access the items, especially the stress balls. I am excited to be able to create a sensory pleasing area in my classroom for students to access if they need a break from the inclusive setting.

  In addition, being able to have raffle items and incentives as part of a PBIS plan will certainly add some excitement to the year!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and one other donor.

• Headphone Help for Reading and Writing

  Funded Sep 20, 2022

  Many of our students are struggling readers. Though in the 8th grade, we have many students reading at the 3-5th grade range, and even below. Many of these students receive special education supports as outlined in their IEPs, and many are general education students. In addition we have high numbers of English Language Learners.

  Technology is imbedded in our classrooms every day. Students watch videos, complete nearpods and edpuzzles. Many of these features can be used independently, but use sound. In addition, our students can use text to speech features.

  Currently, I see the biggest impact in civics class where students are able to engage with materials better because of the headphones. They are able to listen along to their reading and videos, allowing their brains to make connections without having to struggle with decoding. I look forward to them using the talk to text feature with the microphones as the year progresses.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.

• The Diary of Anne Frank, Accessible to All

  Funded Nov 10, 2019

  Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation was an excellent book for all students to use. This allowed myself, the inclusion teacher, and the English teacher to provide, written, oral and drawn depictions of the content for our students. This enhances the learning process and allows students to make deeper connections to the material. The drawings also increase a student's ability to identify and understand the emotional content of the book by showing human emotion on the page.

  Most often, our students are reluctant readers at best. In our classroom, we spend time trying to push the students to increase their decoding skills (reading ability), but also to make gains in their understanding of inferential material (what's not said in black and white). We try to pair visual with auditory when possible and a multisensory education works best for most.

  Our lowest readers, 2nd/3rd grade level in 8th grade, certainly benefited from the format of this book. Anne Frank is a timeless book, as teenagers have had the same feelings and struggles throughout time. Also, cartoons/graphic novels can alleviate some fears for those who struggle with reading.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

• Engaging the Mind and Body

  Funded Mar 27, 2018

  We were gifted with a load of manipulatives and great sensory materials at the end of last year. Students are using floam, stress balls, and the desk elastic bands on a daily basis. These are great materials to keep their hands busy, as we keep their minds busy.

  The students appreciate that they were thought of by someone else, who would be willing to give money to strangers, to help them gain self regulation skills, and have items available to them to assist in their ability to move during the school day.

  Students will continue to use these materials as the school year goes on. As they go into more inclusive environments, students may use these items in those settings as well.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Gutierrez-Crowley

  This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and 2 other donors.