I believe that all children can learn and that it is my responsibility, as an educator, to provide students with equal opportunities to learn. Given the diversity in the classrooms today, it is essential for me to provide students with a variety of learning experiences to ensure that they will be successful in life. Since education is so under funded, it makes my job at achieving that more difficult in providing students with these opportunities. I am incredibly grateful for people like you who value the importance of an education that sets high standards for all students.
When I received the package of reading games I was in disbelief! It was an amazing feeling to know that there are people out there who have wonderful aspirations for my students. The items that you have donated to my classroom allow my students to have fun while learning, work independently, work in small groups, and provide them with the opportunity to teach and help their classmates.
As soon as I could open the box, which was immediately, I began to think of all the fun and exciting experiences my students would now be able to have. My students are given the opportunity to engage in many wonderful learning experiences through the supplies that you have donated. My students absolutely love using the reading games during Reading Workshop. Reading Workshop has now become their favorite part of the day because of all the new fun and exciting activities they get to take part in! All of these dreams that I had are now coming true because of your generous donation.
I cannot begin to tell you how many lives you have affected and will affect through your donation. Thank you for your support in assuring that all students learn to read and have fun in doing so! ”
Thank you so much for the beautiful rug for my classroom. The lively colors accompanied by numbers and the alphabet allow me to do activities that are centered around circle time. Preparing a fun classroom environment has been a challenge because school funding is so low. However, with your help I was able to do it! I continue to add new things to make learning easier for my kiddos. Donorschoose has been pivotal in this endeavor. More importantly, YOU have made it possible. Again, I thank you so much.
Each day we use the carpet area to do group activities for my kiddos with Autism. They do sharing activities, turn taking activities and sing alongs. The carpet has helped me to build structure into the day and for that I am so ever grateful.”
Thank you so very much for contributing to the purchase of our classroom rug. We were all so excited to have something fun and comfortable to sit on.
The kids had lots to talk about when they first explored the rug - conversations about Mexico, the animals and even the compass rose came up. One of my favorite comments was when one little girl pointed to the compass rose and exclaimed, "Look! There is the White House!" I was so excited to see that their brains were already trying to figure out what all of the unique shapes meant.
So far this year the kids have loved writing down the names of continents on their white boards when they are "word investigators." When we have small groups we play little games where a few people go stand on the 'yellow' continent and then everyone learns the name of that continent and then we continue the activity with another land mass on this planet and so on. =) In the future I hope to continue to involve the kids with more in-depth map activities.
Fourth graders are benefiting from the rug as well ... during math intervention I dropped a marker lid on the floor and asked them if anyone had seen it. One of the girls exclaimed, "It's on Antarctica!"
Thank you for contributing so many wonderful memories revolving around our classroom rug.
I wish I could express the emotions that were expressed by my students when they got to use the new materials that you helped to provide. Comments like "cool," "this is great" just does not fully explain how they felt using these items. Using the spell checkers to increase their vocabulary is no longer a daunting activity when I include the use of a dictionary. They actually look forward to looking up words now! =))
Earlier in the year, I read the book "It's Called Dyslexia" to my students. This time, they were able to follow along with their own copies of the book, using the reading trackers.
The magnetic white boards allow each of my students to participate hands-on with their own equipment and allow for me to assess individual understanding more accurately.
Thank you again and bless you all for your help! I hope you enjoy their letters and pictures.”
Thanks to all of you for your kind donation. These cameras have really made a difference in the education of our Green Academy students. In just three short months have used these cameras to document efforts at a local garden to make a community sustainable, the plight of sand crabs at our nearby beach, the adventure of the Plastiki crew as they build a boat made entirely of plastic to make a point about plastic consumption in our country as well as visit to our National Parks to learn about conservation. Our current project includes a photo documentation of how to create compostable containers for classrooms in the school. Groups of 4 students are using the cameras to capture the step-by-step process of creating a composting bin as well as the process of composting. These posters will be invaluable to our school community as we make strides in our green efforts. There is no doubt the skills students are learning will help prepare them for Green jobs in the future.
It thrills me that my students are learning first hand about the kindness of strangers. I hope that one day they will repay your gift by funding a similar educational project!
Thank you again for your generosity. My students (and the Earth) thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ziegler
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and 16 other donors.
Once again, thank you all so much for your generous contribution to my class in these difficult times. I had my laptop delivered three weeks ago, and have put it to immediate use. I use the computer on a daily basis for keeping my grade book, posting assignments on-line, and to present my lessons to my students.
Combined with a new district-wide web based program, my students also use the computer on a daily basis to check their grades and assignments for all of their courses. I have been able to use digital media in my class as well including sound and video clips, which help to bring concepts in History and Economics alive for my students.
Over the next few years, California schools will be slashing millions of dollars from our budgets. In addition to layoffs, bigger class sizes and fewer special programs, funding for materials such as computers will be drastically reduced as well.
Thanks to you my students still have access to the most up to date technologies in my classroom. Because of people like you, in these difficult financial times, my students are able to continue moving their education towards the future. Thank you so much for making a difference! ”
With gratitude,
Mr. Sultan
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and 22 other donors.
Thank you so much for your contributions toward our classroom full-size refrigerator. The refrigerator has already come in very handy in our classroom. We have been able to store groceries for our classroom cooking classes, our Halloween party, and for the Staff Bistro.
In our cooking class my students made a banana pancake breakfast, complete with chicken sausage and orange juice. The students followed the recipes on the packaging to properly cook all of the items. The best part was eating the breakfast. The refrigerator was an important part in keeping our orange juice, milk, and butter cold.
For Halloween this year my class hosted a Halloween party for 2 other classes. The students in my class prepared Jell-O Jigglers, cookies and lemonade for the party. The refrigerator has plenty of space for the Jell-O and several pitchers of lemonade.
Once a month my students with students from 2 other special needs classrooms plan, prepare, and serve a lunch to 30+ members of the staff at our high school. The refrigerator is an integral part of this program. We are able to gather perishable ingredients for a few days before the bistro. This month my class prepared pumpkin bars which needed to be refrigerated prior to serving. Without the full-size refrigerator we would not have been able to prepare this meal.
Next week my student will be hosting a lunch for their parents and caregivers. This will be a time for them to show their parents how they work in the kitchen.
Thanks again for your contribution. Thank you for making all of the above projects possible. We will continue to utilize the refrigerator for years to come. You have made a difference for these students who are learning the life skill of cooking.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Moran
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