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.
Hello, I teach 5th at a wonderful charter school in the South Bronx. In my three years, I have helped create a curriculum that helps my students not only meet the standards in math, but excel, but my work is not done. For the past two years I taught a class composed of general students as well as students with Special Education needs. It is challenging teaching a class with a large number of kids with high needs but with innovative teaching and extra effort, my class has been very successful.
5th grade is the most important year for our math students. They enter our building and no matter where they have come from, no matter how much or how little math they have learned, my goal is to get them up to grade level so they can succeed. By 7th grade 100% of our students are on grade level (two years in a row!) But it all starts with my class. I have to hook them from the moment they come through our doors. I have to make them interested in a subject that scares most. I have to break down topics like fractions and ratios to kids who can barely multiply and divide! And somehow, with the little we have, I am able to make miracles happen. It's not through skill and drill, it's about making the struggle beautiful. Imagine what I could do with innovative games and tools...
This proposal is asking for math games and materials that are hands on and engaging for 5th graders. Many of my students have trouble with fractions, percents and ratios. These games will help them practice skills that are at times boring and the materials will be used in small groups so I can help the kid who are most behind. These games can and will be used again and again with each new group of kids I receive. I can use them in class, during recess or even after school. These are wonderful resources.
I have seen what a difference these games and tools make in a classroom. Math is always remembered as a boring, skill and drill class. We all cringe those lessons from our elementary years, when we learned how but not why. You have a chance to make meaningful to 50 5th graders that come into our doors scared and behind in their skills and leave 8 years later prepared for college. It's a beautiful dream but it starts with my 5th graders and with you.
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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. F. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.