I have a vision of inspiring my students to reach to the highest level they can reach. To experience a new world of sights and sounds they have never experienced.
I teach a class of special needs students in a low income, low performing high school.
All of my students have an intellectual deficiency. Most have additional disabilities including poor vision, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, etc. My dear students are full of curiosity but most have not been out of their neighborhood much less out of the town. Any visits to museums, parks, or art exhibits are through school activities and these are usually only once a year. For example, I had the students grow a garden last year. One thing we grew was tomatoes. One student made the remark that you couldn't grow tomatoes, you could only get them in a grocery store. When we went on a field trip to a local park, the students were so afraid of snakes and bugs, that I had to hold the hands of a couple who were literally shaking with fear.
My Project
I have a vision of bringing the world to my class who have not, and truly may not, ever leave our town. I am teaching social studies and I can imagine showing my students the Great Plains, the Rockies, the Appalachian mountains, the oceans and lakes of our country using an interactive board. To be able to show news events, weather, and political events in real time would plant a seed of adventure in the fertile ground of the minds of students who others simply babysit because they are less fortunate than most is a dream that I would love to see realized. I will use the interactive board as a tool to engage the students. The board is more hands on, colorful, and exciting than anything else I would have available. Any opportunity to invite my dear students to become involved in learning is important.
My students come from impoverished backgrounds.
Many have family members who are alcoholics or drug abusers. Most have absent fathers and sometimes absent mothers. They have not been given the opportunities that many of us take for granted nor will their lives necessarily improve without some sort of intervention. I would love to start that intervention by being able to show them what is outside our small community and give them a vision of a better world and a better life.
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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 Ms. Poole and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.