Ms. Tarr's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 37

• You Can Help Close the Achievement Gap

  Funded Jan 3, 2011

  Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom. You have no idea how much it helped to create a positive and rewarding experience for all of my students! The iPod Touch was a huge motivator for them. It allowed this semester to go smoothly and kept students interested in coming to school everyday to do their best. It eliminated behavior problems that most of my colleagues have to deal with and allowed students who may not have anyone motivating them at home to come to my classroom and have a reason to do well.

  Many of my students have parents who are so busy dealing with issues from the economic crisis that there is little time to dedicate to motivating their child to do well in school. The iPod Touch was able to give them that extra push that they needed and kept them accountable to their groups to come to class on time, bring their supplies, finish their homework, follow the classroom rules, stay on task, and cooperate with the other students in their class. This is how we close the achievement gap and prevent the dropout rate one class at a time. My students because of this experience are more likely to keep on trying whenever they find something challenging and to ask for help from others when they need it. They are less likely to give up on themselves and become one of the many dropouts that statistics tell us they might become. Thank you for helping to make a difference. ”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Tarr

  This classroom project was brought to life by American Express Members Project and one other donor.

• Yoga Mats for Young Thespians

  Funded Dec 28, 2010

  Thank you so much to all the donors who supported this project!

  What a wonderful opportunity you have provided to all of my students.I am so excited for the opportunity that this will give my students and the life long benefits that they will gain from what they learn in class. Throughout the semester they have been working on using yoga and focusing their attention. They have increased their ability to concentrate and focus and there is a sense of calm and ease in each of my classes. Some of my students who have experienced behavior problems in the past are able to redirect that behavior and are able to act instead of react. What a powerful and positive change you have brought to their lives!

  Projects like this could not be done without wonderful, generous people like you.

  In my district we are experiencing so many cuts that it can often seem like people don´t care about education. But then all of you made it possible for my students to have yoga mats to help them learn this wonderful tool for life. I am re-inspired that there are people out there who DO care; that I am not alone in my quest to help heal our communities and make the world a better place -one small step at a time.

  Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Tarr

  This classroom project was brought to life by American Express Members Project and 9 other donors.

• Help Close the Acheivement Gap

  Funded Apr 23, 2010

  Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom. By donating an iPod Touch as a fantastic motivating prize for my students, you allowed for them to succeed and become one less statistic in the drop out rate.

  In an end of the year reflection that my students did so many commented on how working with their group in order to receive a raffle ticket for a wonderful class prize helped them to succeed. They really wanted to win! They also commented how Drama has been helping them in their other classes and in life. They remarked how their concentration has improved because of games and activities that we did. They reflected how using their imagination to create original character monologues allowed for them to gain self-confidence in their ability to express themselves. They talked about how working with their classmates on scenes allowed for trust and ensemble building and how these skills will help them in other areas. This is my first year teaching Drama after having taught English for two years to mainly non-native speakers, and I am SOLD that the arts play an imperative part in a child's education.

  I am so grateful that I had your donation to help motivate my students and allow for them to have these great successes with their education this year. It truly has built their self-confidence which has carried over in to other areas of their lives. They can envision themselves as being successful in whatever they try. They know that "courage" is to feel the fear and do it anyway, and that they can do whatever they set their minds to as long as they put effort into it. What great life lessons! They are on their way to not just staying in school to close the achievement gap, but to becoming those future pioneers that our society will depend on.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Tarr

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Eisner Foundation and one other donor.

• Creating a Drama Library So We Can Play

  Funded Apr 15, 2010

  Thank you so much for your generous donation of books to our classroom library! They were an enormous contribution and allowed students access to many fun and exciting scenes and monologues for students to work on. I also appreciate the addition of the No Fear Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet books.

  I have a Shakespeare background as an actress and fell in love with this play as a young adult, but I remember how difficult it was to understand when I was in school. I had a lot of success teaching another play by Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, using the No Fear interpretation, and students started asking about Romeo and Juliet. They were feeling confident in their ability to understand Shakespeare's words and were ready to tackle this next play which they had heard so much about. They have heard it referenced in everything from The Simpsons to rap songs to the daily news. I am excited to have them work on it, and to again feel that sense of accomplishment and ability in deciphering the Bard's words. It's incredible how much self confidence they gain in themselves when they see that they understand something that is so challenging. They know that if they can conquer Shakespeare then they can do anything. This would not be possible without your generosity.

  With the state of the economy and budgets for education being in crisis, arts programs have limited funding. As you know, the arts are usually where school districts like to cut first. I've discovered what a disservice this is to so many students who really can only access education through the arts. It gives many students the chance to shine and a reason sometimes to come to school. So many of my students tell me that they are using the things we are learning in Drama in their other classes as well. Ultimately you may be helping to keep one of these students from dropping out of school.

  Without people like you, who really care about students and giving them opportunities to learn about theater, we would have many more students falling through the cracks to become a statistic in our already drastic number of drop outs. Thank you so much for your kind gift.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Tarr

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Eisner Foundation and 2 other donors.

• Inspiring Passion To Stay In School

  Funded Dec 11, 2009

  Thank you so much for your generous donation. Because of you all of my students are succeeding in middle school Drama. They have expressed to me how they have improved in speaking up in class, how they are able to apply concentration skills they have learned to other classes, how they feel more confident, and of course how much fun they are having! I couldn't have done it without you or without having a powerful reward and incentive program to help motivate them.

  It's truly rewarding when kids feel that they can succeed and are aware of their own growth. It is proof positive that they are capable of acquiring new skills in many areas of learning, and that they can truly succeed in whatever they set their minds to.

  Thanks again for your wonderful donation and for helping to keep my students in school and on the path to a successful life.

  ”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Tarr

• "When Kids Can't Read"

  Funded Feb 27, 2009

  Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom. The books that you donated have already made a huge impact and have helped many students who struggle with reading. Many students who were reluctant readers are now tearing through the different sagas of the Manga books. They check them out almost on a daily basis. It's incredible how students who used to complain when we had silent reading are now sneaking reading in when ever they have a free moment. What a turn around!

  Not only are the students in my classroom enjoying the books, but word has spread and there are several students from other classes that have come in to borrow them as well. I hear students talking about the various stories that they've read and the various characters. This type of enthusiasm for reading is going to help them in all of their other academic classes where reading had previously been an issue.

  This enthusiasm for books has led to some interest from my administrator who is now looking into getting more of the Manga books for our school library. This never would have happened without your generosity.

  The pencil sharpener has also helped us so much. My students are now able to sharpen their pencils quickly and get back to work. The quality is such that I'm assured we won't have to worry about it breaking down or replacing it for many years.

  Thank you, thank you, thank you, for this amazing gift to my classroom and my students. You have definitely made an impact not only in my classroom but on my school. Your generosity will help to close the achievement gap and help students to reach their academic goals.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Tarr

• How to Stop Kids From Dropping Out of School

  Funded Jan 2, 2009

  Thank you so much for your generous donation to help buy an Ipod as a reward for the positive behavior incentive program that I have in my classroom. You are ensuring that my students will work together to help one another succeed and to become one less number in the high school drop out crisis that grips our urban schools.

  It is difficult for my students at this young age to conceive of how decisions now will affect their future. They need a powerful incentive to motivate them. This Ipod will provide that incentive. It will motivate them to keep on trying whenever they fail, to push themselves and each other to increase their efforts, and to overcome the obstacles they face on a daily basis in order to be in my English class and do their best. My students are not only the future, but they are an inspiration, a light in my life. I am so lucky to be their teacher and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Tarr