My students need the reusable Boogie Boards for small group word work. The iPads are for helping us create digital portfolios with the free Seesaw app.
We are from a small town in S. Missouri deep in the heart of the Mark Twain National Forest. Rural living should not keep us from having access to high tech tools that will help students take charge of academic growth. We want to be a digital classroom, and create our own portfolios with iPads.
My kindergarten class is made up of children from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Most are from low income homes with minimal devices, but this doesn't stop them from learning quickly how to use a computer, an iPad, iPod or other tech device because they all come in with a hunger to learn! Our school does an amazing job of fulfilling the needs of our students, but funds are still scarce for individual classrooms. Our teachers and administrators do a wonderful job of helping our students achieve with limited resources.
My favorite quote is "Today's Readers are Tomorrow's Leaders". I have this on the wall of my classroom, and tell my students daily that I am talking about them! As a teacher who believes in the ability of a child's brain to grasp learning at an amazing rate, I want to provide the most challenging and innovative tools available.
My Project
We currently have one iPad, but having access to two more would make sharing and reporting progress to parents a reality. It would also allow students to learn to use QR code searches to research their learning, or take pictures of projects for their portfolios to show progress all year. Students who struggle with various skills can use iPads to master those skills through interaction with reading and math apps.
Boogie Boards are a tool that has recently taken hold in lower elementary classrooms as a great way to save instructional time. Students are no longer fumbling for dry erase markers that may or may not write. Instead, they are ready to respond to lessons quickly without lots of "gear". Every minute of the day counts, not to mention this is a more environmentally friendly tool for writing.
My students are eager to use new and exciting learning tools.
By involving them in the creation of their year-long portfolios, I believe it will have a ripple effect on parent involvement. When students are excited about learning, they tell parents who, in turn, ask questions. These questions are the beginning of student-parent-teacher relationships that work toward the positive achievement of all students. Many of my students will be tomorrow's leaders. Keeping current with tech will help.
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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. Hufstedler and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
