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.
Imagine a classroom full of students with brilliant ideas, but the inability to write these on paper. This is a reality in my self-contained classroom of students with mild mental disabilities. Students in this classroom range from grades 1 to 5, and most students come from low-income families. Each of the students has a mental disability that prevents them from being able to succeed in a typical classroom. These students want to learn and succeed, but circumstances keep getting in their way.
Because of the disabilities of these students, they are often unable to write down their thoughts. Whether it is a creative writing assignment or content-related writing assignment, these students are unable to write what they want to say. For some, it is due to the inability to maintain focus while trying to sound out words. For others, it is simply the inability to sound out even the simplest of words. These students are incredibly creative and can tell great stories, but they struggle when it comes time to write their stories on paper. Each of the students receives the accommodation of a scribe; however, there is only one of me. I can only write for one student at a time. While I am writing for one student, the other students work on pre-writing ideas, but it is a constant struggle for them. Anyone can imagine how frustrating it is to see inspiration hit a student, but then they are unable to write down their thoughts.
Luckily, there is a solution to this problem! With the use of mp3 recorders, these students will be able to record their thoughts as they happen. Each student will be able to record, or "write" on their own without having to depend on anybody. Using the headphones, they will be able to listen to it, determine whether or not they want anything changed, and then record notes on the changes they want made. Then I will be able to follow up on my time and type or write what they want to say. We will then be able to spend valuable time conferencing about their writing, instead of just getting their thoughts from their brain to the paper.
Putting this technology into the hands of my class will foster independence among my students by allowing them to "write" independently. You can make it possible for my students to work without having to depend on me or another adult to scribe as they talk. This will empower each individual student, while also saving valuable teaching and learning time.
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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. Neville and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.