My students need math manipulatives, games, puzzles, and activities to explore during Math Workshop to deepen their understanding of math concepts and improve their test scores.
We use basic math skills everyday. Having a strong mathematical foundation in elementary school is linked to success in more complex mathematics courses, but more importantly, it is a life skill. Manipulatives would help my struggling students bridge the gap between the concrete and the abstract.
My school is considered "high poverty", and many students come from disadvantaged homes.
As someone who came from a disadvantaged background, I feel motivated, every day, to set high expectations for my students. I believe that every child can learn, and every child can succeed if we give them the tools they need to soar to new heights. Through rigorous lessons, inquiry-based learning, and a simulated virtual United States tour, I strive to provide my students with the best I can give. That, of course, involves a whole lot of love, sweat, and tears. It also takes a lot of my own money. Our school is not able to provide teachers with ANY money to buy materials. In fact, we may not be able to go on any field trips beginning next year due to funding deficits. (It's a sad reality.) Please help me to provide my students with hands-on math materials that will help my students grasp mathematical concepts and give them a strong foundation to build on. Thank you in advance!
My Project
I recently previewed a book by Debbie Diller called Math Work Stations, and I was immediately inspired. According to Stenhouse Publishing, math work stations can help children "develop conceptual understanding and skills, use math vocabulary as they talk about their mathematical thinking, and connect big ideas to meaningful independent exploration and practice."
I immediately began to think about my struggling students. The students who rely a lot on tangible objects to solve math problems or who draw pictures as they work through a number sentence. I thought about their diverse needs, and I realized that I did not have adequate materials to meet those needs. The materials that came with our math program are great, but they are not sufficient, and I don't have enough for a class supply in many instances. My students need math manipulatives to explore during Math Workshop to deepen their understanding of math concepts and improve their test scores.
I'm also hoping that being able to create math work stations will allow me to pull small groups back to a table to give more targeted assistance to all students, even the talented.
Please consider making a donation to this classroom project by taking a look at your own life.
Think for a moment about how often you rely on basic math on a daily basis as you pay bills, shop, cook, and work. I want to ensure that my students will not only succeed in school, but also in their lives. Thank you in advance.
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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. Nickerson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.