Completed:Building a Computer Lab, One Laptop at a Time, Part 6
"I teach fourth grade in a working class and immigrant neighborhood in Los Angeles. Most of my students are learning English as a second language, some of them have special needs, and all of them love to learn. Our Title I school is an important safe haven for my kids, who are surrounded by poverty a...
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"I teach fourth grade in a working class and immigrant neighborhood in Los Angeles. Most of my students are learning English as a second language, some of them have special needs, and all of them love to learn. Our Title I school is an important safe haven for my kids, who are surrounded by poverty and gang activity.
Fourth graders are enthusiastic and inquisitive learners. That’s a good thing, because in the California standards for education, fourth graders must demonstrate proper use of the Internet to do research! Teaching kids how to be good consumers of information on the Internet is fun, but my thirty students have to share three desktop computers, and they don’t get enough time at the keyboard to learn how to be Internet-smart.
We need a mini-computer lab, which means we need laptop computers and carrying cases. We are building our lab one laptop at a time, and this is one request out of several. With new laptops, my students will be able to do Internet-based research projects including an exploration of California, creating a model to make our school more environmentally friendly, and performing a census of our school that models the U.S. Census of 2010. They will be able to take the laptops to their desks to work independently or in small groups. Our school is equipped for wireless technology, so they will be able to work anywhere in the classroom. With small, compact keyboards, these netbooks will be perfect for the little hands of my fourthgraders.
With your generous donation, we will be able to build a computer lab that will send my kids soaring into the technological age. They will be able to explore the mountains of California, the habitat of the polar bear, and the challenges of executing a census project, all within their classroom walls. Thank you so much!
My students need a mini-notebook computer with a carrying case to build a computer lab for their classroom.
See Ms. A.'s class participating in this project!
(Enlarge photos)
Jan 17, 2010
Dear Lisa Jackson, david, Camilo Lara Jr., Jennifer M., neil, Gerard, Monica, Sarah, Trey and Haden, Stephen Dypiangco, Joe D., tiffany and Anonymous Donor,
Thank you so much for your generous donation of a Toshiba netbook computer and carrying case to the growing computer lab in our classroom. Words can't express how grateful my students and I are!
The laptop arrived just after our winter break. In fact, it arrived the day after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. We had been discussing the earthquake at length, and my students wanted to know more. So, I gave them a list of "treasure hunt" questions about Haiti and passed out the laptops. Using the new Toshiba, plus other netbooks we have received from DonorsChoose, my kids researched Haiti, its population and geography, as well as the earthquake and the world response. It was an eye-opening experience for my students, and I was thankful that they were able to spend time on a computer looking for answers.
So, thank you once again for your generous donation. Thanks to you, my students are flying into the information age.
With gratitude, Ms. A.
Ms. A. sent this note after the project was fully funded:
Dec 8, 2009
Dear Lisa Jackson, david, Camilo Lara Jr., Jennifer M., neil, Gerard, Monica, Sarah, Trey and Haden, Stephen Dypiangco, Joe D., tiffany and Anonymous Donor,
Wow! Thank you all so much for contributing to our dream! I can hardly wait to tell my students that people really care about them. And I know they'll be counting the days until their new laptop arrives.
Slowly but surely--with your help and the help of other generous donors--we are putting together a classroom computer lab. As our lab builds in numbers, my kids are beginning to rely on their computers for daily tasks. Even today, the principal asked my students at lunchtime if they knew why December 7, 1941 was important. When they came back to class, they ran to the computers to research the question. What a great learning moment for my kids, and because of you, they will have more to come.
Thank you once again for your generosity and kindness!
"Trey and Haden, thank you so much! My students and I agree that computers are very important, and thanks to you, we are that much closer to our dream of creating a class computer lab."
The teacher Ms. A.
on Dec 5, 2009
"Tiffany, it's great to know that people like you care about our kids! Thank you so much for your thoughtful donation. :-)"
The teacher Ms. A.
on Dec 5, 2009
"Camilo, I agree that every child should have the chance to get a great education! We appreciate that you care, and you are helping us reach our goal!!"
The teacher Ms. A.
on Dec 5, 2009
"My brother, Gerard D., recommended your lab as a worthy project, and I agree. :-)"
Joe D.
from Chino Hills, CA
gave
on Dec 6, 2009
"Wow, thanks, Joe!! You have such an awesome family!! I agree, this is an good project. You should see the kids working on the laptops. My ultimate goal is one laptop per kid, and you're bringing us that much closer. :-)"
The teacher Ms. A.
on Dec 7, 2009
Stephen Dypiangco
from Montebello, CA
gave
on Dec 7, 2009
"I am happy to support the great work you're doing, Steve, Gerard's other brother."
Stephen Dypiangco
from Montebello, CA
on Dec 7, 2009
"I gave to this project because I know how important the work you do is!"
Sarah
from Vermont
gave
on Dec 7, 2009
"Steve, thanks so much, and you have such a great family! I told my kids that Mr. D's two brothers donated to our project, and one of my students just said, "Wow, that's a lot of Dypiangco's!" Smiles to all of you!!"
The teacher Ms. A.
on Dec 7, 2009
"I helped because I'm a strong believer in education."
neil
from New York
gave
in support of FOOSBALL
on Dec 7, 2009
"I donated because the project will bring important learning opportunities to the classroom."
"Lisa and "donor"--YAY! You completed the funding for our project! That means that my kids have a new laptop to add to their growing computer lab. And Lisa, we do appreciate and thank your colleague Allen Thomas who shares our belief in making a difference. You have indeed made a difference in the lives of these kids. :-)"
The teacher Ms. A.
on Dec 8, 2009
Purchased the technology for Ms. A.'s classroom and notified the school principal of delivery.
Jenni D. (staff member)
on Jan 5, 2010
Packaged the thank-you letters written by Ms. A.'s students and sent them on to the eligible donor(s).
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Amy B. (volunteer)
on Sep 14, 2009
