Past projects 2
Flexible Seating and Literacy Tools
Funded Sep 24, 2023Thank you for your generous donations to my classroom. The flexible seating materials will allow my students to move while they learn, which will in turn help their focus. The literacy tools and supplies will help all of my students learn and grow, especially those who are below grade level.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Yanker
This classroom project was brought to life by Gov. Jared Polis & the Colorado Dept. of Education.Time for Tablets!
Funded Aug 17, 2018Having tablets in our classroom has transformed my students' learning in all subjects and aspects of their learning. They love using the tablets to listen to audiobooks, play math games, practice math facts, and complete research. Our tablets have allowed students to be more independent and has given them ownership of their learning.
Students have access to the tablets at many times throughout the day. During our literacy block, they are able to listen to audiobooks and read texts that they may not have access to in the classroom library. Students who read below grade level have been particularly excited about using tablets for reading, because they have the opportunity to listen to texts that would otherwise be too advanced for them. Listening to audiobooks also helps these students enhance their reading fluency and comprehension. Every student has their own epic account, which gives them access to thousands of books, audiobooks, and videos. The tablets are also used for math. Students can log in to their personalized Math Facts account set up by the school through STAR math, which is an online accelerated math program designed to build basic math skills. Their personalized Math Facts account allows them to practice addition and subtraction fact fluency at their level. Fact fluency is so important because it creates the building blocks for higher level mathematical problems and thinking, such as double and triple digit addition. In addition, students are able to access math games, which are engaging, encourage strategic mathematical thinking, and help students use different strategies for solving problems. In addition, when playing these games repeatedly, it supports student's computational fluency. Having easy access to their own Math Facts account and being able to practice their math facts through games, not only engages our students, but it has also given students more ownership of their learning. They are more motivated to do their best and "level up" to the next level by getting all of the problems right.
As the only adult in the classroom most of the time, it is sometimes difficult to meet the individual needs of all my students. However, having access to technology has allowed students to become more independent and take more of a leadership role in their learning. Instead of only relying on me as a source of instruction, technology provides additional learning opportunities and information through online tutorials, electronic books, and search engines like Google. Any questions that they have can be answered instantly and easily. The tablets are always available to students so that they have access to resources that we don't have in the classroom. If they want to research any topic, they have the materials available to find the information that is needed. Having access to videos, audiobooks, and research apps also allows students with all types of learning styles to access what they need. They are able to read, listen to, and visually see information in order to learn more about any topic. This has really benefited students of all different learning styles because it caters to their needs, whether they are a visual or auditory learner. Additionally, having these tablets helps student who have various learning disabilities because it offers them additional support in their reading that supplements the instruction they are receiving in class.
Access to tablets in my classroom has transformed the learning environment for me and my students. Students have access to more resources and are able to better meet their specific learning styles and needs. Most importantly, students are more engaged in their learning in every subject. Learning should be exciting for all students and I cannot thank you enough for providing us with tablets to make this possible in our classroom.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Yanker