Celebrate Black Teachers and Students
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.
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Ms. Howard from Riverdale GA is requesting art supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
See what Ms. Howard is requestingMy students need a soft rug for up close instructions (esp. the little ones!), more space to dry their beautiful paintings, and a wireless presenter so I can circulate the room when using the Panaboard.
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.
When I was hired to teach art at our Title 1 School, my principal told me that many of our students' parents and even grandparents had attended that same school, situated in a historically rural farming and railroad community that grew into a metropolitan suburb near a busy airport. These families are working hard to break a cycle of poverty by giving their children the best possible chance at success through a well-rounded education, and I am proud to play a small role in that effort.
Our school is a rainbow of 650 beautiful children (87% African-American, 8% Hispanic, 3% Asian) benefiting from art as an integral part of their educations.
With 99.5% free/discounted lunch recipients, we struggle with the challenges that poverty brings - 14% of children in this community are below the line, and in our school's neighborhood that number is much higher; nevertheless, I can tell you that the majority of our students are happy learners - and excited to do art! They especially love to paint, and I am thrilled to help each child increase his and her visual vocabularies, manual dexterity, confidence, goal-setting, cultural awareness, and critical and abstract thinking.
My K-2 students will especially benefit from improved attention and focus when gathering on the rug for book-reading and hands-on instruction. They seem so lost at those big tables, their feet don't touch the floor in those big chairs, and I have a hard time hearing their little voices when they speak! All my students K-5 will appreciate being able to place their wet paintings on the large drying rack; currently, we have to spread them all over the room to dry, and things get damaged - plus, those coveted horizontal surfaces are meant for other uses! The wireless presenter will allow me to untether myself from my desk in the corner when showing slides and instructional videos. As an art teacher, it is essential that I can circulate the room to assist where needed.
This large, colorful rug is our greatest need; it will reduce noise levels, increase safety, and add a warm and friendly vibe to an otherwise rather cold, hard environment of white-painted cinderblock and white tiles on cement floors.
Studies indicate that rugs help improve students' focus as well as air quality; and they are cheaper to maintain in the long run (http://blog.sensoryedge.com/classroom-rugs-more-than-just-a-cute-decoration/).
As for the drying rack and presenter, well, to be frank, along with the rug, these items will never fit my art room budget, which I reserve for critical supplies like colored pencils, paper, paint, glue, and clay.
Thank you for considering our needs!
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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Howard is requesting.
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