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
There exists in America a gap, widening between inner-city and rural education. The trend across the United States is consistent: urban youth do not achieve as much in school as kids in rural or suburban areas. But why does that gap exist? Could a lack of technology be the blame for it?
I am an educator of lower income, inner city students housed in a school building of 99% African American students receiving 100% free and reduced breakfast and lunch.
These students, like all children, have a thirst for learning, and are capable of doing big things. Unfortunately, they come to me ill-prepared and underexposed. This is due to a digital divide and lack of exposure due to resources. Next to families, schools are the institutions most responsible for instilling in children the knowledge and skills believed to lead to productive and successful lives. Schools play a critical role in ensuring equal opportunity for less-advantaged children by providing access to a wide range of enriching experiences, including exposure to computer technology. My school struggles to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change. Most of our computers are outdated or labeled OUT of ORDER.
My Project
A functional technology center would ensure that no instructional time is lost, which my students have grown accustomed to when technology is not available. This center would actually improve instructional time because students are eager to go to technology. I can name so many benefits of having a technology center; however here are just a few. With Chromebooks, students don't just learn about science; they have access to tools to be scientists, mathematicians or journalists. They just don't write about books, they publish their own work that is viewed, rated, commented on and published to authentic audiences. They don't just have teachers read to them; they get read to and begin to read text to answer questions and solve problems on their own. I want my students to become a part of history through simulating characters or producing content and information for the world or through producing original digital videos, which we can do with technology. My students need access to programs that provide them with the tools necessary to become fluent readers, programs that will build their reading and math skills. We can't get access into programs like iRead, Redbird, or Imagine Learning without updated technology.
They will not only read books by experts, they become experts and have opportunities to connect and converse with experts.
Technology has the power to teach, motivate, captivate and transform a classroom!
Each day, we move forward using outdated tools that are not relevant to the lives of our students outside of school; we make our role less and less relevant to the lives of students. Students are already voting with their feet. We have dropout rates hovering around 50% because we cannot keep up with the modern time. I would like to change that scenario, but I need your help.
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 Mrs. M. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
