This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
I ask my first period class a question. "Let's review. What is a gene?" My students look at each other. Some of them giggle. I wait. Eventually a brave 10th grader raises her hand and shares an answer. I have no idea what the other 20 kids are thinking.
My students have just arrived in the United States.
My students have just arrived in the United States. Collectively, they speak 29 different native languages. Like many language-learners, they can be shy to speak in front of their peers, afraid to make a mistake in their new and difficult English. As their Biology teacher, I need to find out what they know and what they are learning about topics like cell parts, genetics, nutrition. In any classroom, this can be challenge, but in our context, on some days, it feels nearly impossible.
My Project
Luckily, new technology exists that could solve this problem! With the interactive response system, each student will be holding what looks like a fancy calculator. I will ask a question and show the same question on the board using our LCD projector. All the students will be logged in with a unique identifier, and they will use the clicker to 'buzz' in what they think is the correct response to my question. Every kid is participating. Immediately afterward, we can all look at a graph of the class answers to the question, and I will know who has understood the material and who needs more time and support. Even more useful, all of the student responses will be saved for me so that I can review them after class with no additional grading steps. Clearly, this system is not a substitute for having my students practice speaking out loud, but it is a tool that will accelerate learning for everyone, including me as I struggle to figure out what they know.
My students come with very little academic background.
Many are refugees, many are illiterate in their home languages. Despite these obstacles, these kids show up each day eager to learn, excited to live the "American Dream" by succeeding in school. Getting them ready for college in a few years requires intense work from them and the right resources from us. Your donation will help these bright young people take advantage of the opportunities they and their families have worked so hard for.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Pezzetti and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"CA","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":4,"name":"High School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/buzz-new-clicker-technology-needed/714288/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":150,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Pezzetti","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"-1047938353","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"Oakland","teachersOnPage":[47394],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":true,"proposalId":714288,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"schoolId":3976,"schoolName":"Oakland International High School","authorIds":{"47394":{"owner":"Ms. Pezzetti","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[714288],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp47394_orig.jpg?crop=273,273,x19,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1612362488790","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":44783,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["MTA0MDMzNg==","MTMyOTY5NA==","MTM5Nzc2MA=="],"teacherId":47394,"schoolCounty":"Alameda","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"CA","name":"California"}}
