My students need a coffee maker to have the true experience of a coffee house where they can share their self-created poetry with their peers as well as family.
This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
Do you remember the first time your teacher allowed you to explore a concept to make an experience more meaningful? This experience enhanced the lesson's content making it more memorable. My students need a coffee maker that will make their poetry come to life… opening a “school coffee house".
I teach in a middle school setting that is considered to be an at-risk school.
We reside in an urban area an hour away from our state's capital. Our academic classes consist of four seventy-minute core classes and two forty-five minute electives. Art, music, shop, and gym are offered as electives to enhance math, language arts, science, and social studies. Many students have limited experiences due to lack of funding in their homes. Our students often ask why they need to know content that is being presented in class. They love to interact with content whenever possible because they find it makes learning easier. Because they can interact with materials that correlate with the real world, they often have a better grasp of the content in these areas. As a teacher, I am challenged to bring experiences into the classroom that correlate to real-world activities.
My Project
Students will present self-created poetry while coffee is brewing in the background. Many of my students do not have experiences that the world has to offer due to financial situations in today’s society. I want to provide an experience where the students will get out of the classroom and see a positive way to express themselves in a safe setting. The environment in a real world coffee house allows for expression of all kinds. After a unit on the different types of poetry, students will be asked to write a poem that relates to their personal lives. These poems will be shared within the class in a simulated coffee house. I would also like to have a parent’s night- where the students would perform their artistic abilities at an open-mic night. This will allow for the coffee house experience to expend into the community and we can showcase the talented students we have at our school.
As educators, we are challenged to make our students' learning experiences meaningful and memorable.
We currently have the challenge to engage the students with up-to date activities that allow them to make connections within the community around them. Having the supplies in this grant would enable my students to be able to see how they can have a safe place to express their thoughts and share their talents with the world.
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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. Keener and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.