Empower [em-pou-er]: v. To Equip with the Ability to Succeed
My students need a classroom laptop to assist them in producing written work that would otherwise be daunting if asked to be completed using a tradition pencil and paper.
Think of how excited you were using a computer for the very first time. The opportunity to manipulate a seemingly magical machine was unparalleled. My goal is to use tech in the classroom as a means of challenging students who struggle with traditional forms of writing and make them excited...again!
I am an 8th grade instructor at a Title 1 Middle School in Ozone Park, NY.
On a daily basis, over 100 students, of varying ability levels, enter my classroom. Being an ELA teacher, it is undeniable that the curriculum is very rigid and can be stress inducing for teachers and students alike. Simple tasks like reading a passage or writing an essay become extremely challenging for students who, over time, have lost the motivation to succeed. This sentiment is fairly commonplace among students and is something that I do my best to combat both inside and outside of the classroom. Though there are strategies and techniques that I employ to help me in this war against indifference and complacence, there is only so much one can do. A weapon that has proved useful in the journey towards victory, time and time again, is technology. Technology has a unique way of activating intrinsic motivation within students that they never knew existed. My goal is to replenish this motivation--PERMANENTLY.
My Project
Technology is so readily available in today's world, however, money to purchase said technology is not. This is particularly apparent within the public school system. Limited resources make for limited learning. In a world where technology drives and motivates students to be creative, think critically and produce meaningful work, there needs to be a strong presence of technology in the classroom. Therefore, I am requesting a classroom laptop meant to act as an alternative means of producing student written work. While many students are perfectly fine with writing an essay using pencil and paper, each class contains a handful of students who completely shut down in the face of this task. Having a laptop available with Word Processing software will give both the students and myself a lifeline that we have yearned for. By differentiating instruction to include an option of writing digitally, you will be amazed at the quality of work produced by students who otherwise refuse to write.
Donations are vital in achieving the goal of this project.
Having the finances to purchase a classroom laptop will allow me to assign writing projects to students without the interruptions that currently exist. Rather than repeatedly pushing those 1 or 2 students in each class to begin the writing process and being met with INTENSE opposition, I can use the laptop to provide these students with a direct outlet--a means for them to fluidly transfer their thoughts into a meaningful work of art.
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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 Mr. Bennici and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.