Past projects 2
How Color Makes Math Learning More Vibrant!
Funded Dec 3, 2024Because of you, students have a great opportunity to think critically, problem solve, challenge themselves, and see their own potential. You have no idea the tremendous help it is to have access to printed materials! Math is invigorating, colorful, and vibrant. With your support, my students can feel successful in math!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Taylor
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 10 other donors.Rubik's Cube Club!
Funded Feb 11, 2024You have no idea the transformation you've created in our classroom at Booker T. Washington. Our school has a 32% proficiency rate for Algebra 1. This means that about one-third of our students are on grade level in math. When scores came in, many students were down because they spent the entire year studying, learning, doing homework, working hard, and did not pass the test. I run a rigorous classroom with high expectations, and little time for games. The week immediately after the state standardized final exam, we could finally breathe. We had a moment for something different, something fun, so we began the Rubik's Cube. I will admit, I was nervous to implement this. Would it be too hard? Would they be miserable and feel hopeless? As always, students demonstrate resiliency and triumph! THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!! More than half of them solved it all the way, 37 out of 70 students. An additional 5 solved at least half!
We spent an entire week learning the cube. We started with the vocabulary and understanding how the cube moves – first layer, middle layer, bottom layer, front face and back face, right side and left side, top upper layer and bottom down layer, orienting the cube correctly. From there we continued with the 6 phases – the white cross, white corners, middle layer, the yellow cross, yellow corners, and final yellow edges. It was miraculous to watch students practice patience and grace with themselves when they made an error that caused them to have to start over, a valuable life lesson. But the most beautiful part was seeing the huge smile on students' faces when they were complete! When they realized what they had just accomplished! When they saw the fruits of their hard labor. When they felt empowered to try difficult things, fail a couple times, keep going, and still succeed! For many, solving a Rubik's Cube is only a dream. Most folks have picked one up, tried a dozen times, just playing around with it with no technique or true understanding of algorithms, and given up. But to actually know what you're doing and complete it?! That is a once in a lifetime achievement! Something I didn't learn how to do until I was double their age! For a student who is not on grade level in math to feel and know that they are smart enough to solve a Rubik's Cube is life changing!
Because of you, students in a low income, under resourced school, in a neighborhood that is being gentrified, now know and have seen for themselves that they can do hard things. Because of you, students who are often times told that they are behind, they are below grade level, they are not up to bar, feel good about themselves and are proud of who they have become. Because of you, students can see the value of math in fun and games, which is not something they always saw in their homework. Because of you, these 9th graders will go onto 10th grade and brag about this project to next year's freshman, creating a culture of positivity around math. Because of you, and through this project, I have a renewed sense of faith and commitment to education and teaching.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Taylor