I have a curious set of diverse students who are eager to learn and explore new topics. Unfortunately, disengagement has become something of a common denominator across our school district over the last few years and more than half of students in our school are from low-income families. We have found that starting as early as elementary school, it has become increasingly difficult to get children to school on a regular basis. In spite of this, the students' energy inspires me to create meaningful and memorable lessons across the curriculum. The activities that we complete, both in and out of the classroom, are also greatly restricted by the socioeconomic makeup of our student body, as well as the absence of a budget for technology in our 5th-grade classroom.
We are all educating our children to succeed in a world where technology drives critical thinking, creativity, instruction, and collaboration.
As teachers, we can prepare students for jobs that have yet to be invented. The students themselves are very willing to work in school and take the opportunity to utilize the limited resources that are available.
My Project
Teaching students a new skill is not always an easy task, especially if you do not have the proper equipment to do so. My classroom is in need of a document camera so that students can visualize how to solve different types of problems as new concepts are introduced. When we create writing pieces, it allows me to demonstrate how to revise and edit so that the whole class can learn at once, not just a small group. Students will use this document camera to model well constructed written responses. They will also be able to put a story under the camera and project it onto a larger screen to show where he/she found the evidence for the answer they wrote.
Visual learners have a hard time learning new concepts if they can't connect what the teacher is saying to what they see on the paper or to what they are recording.
If we had a document camera, it would positively foster the learning environment. Having a document camera will transform the classroom culture to one in which sharing your work, whether correct or not, is something that is welcomed.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Pinkerton and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
