I teach 8th, 10th, and 11th graders. We learn together in a small, rural school in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. My students' interests range from playing sports to participating in drama camp to showing farm animals at the county fair.
Two minds are always better than one, right?
One of my goals is to transform our classroom into a more collaborative environment. Rather than keeping desks in rows, I am hopeful to add flexible seating, including tables, which are on casters and even can be folded up when needed, and chairs that can be used with the tables or alone for class meetings. My students are excited for this change! A student-centered classroom will give these teens more flexibility to process information together.
Our school is categorized as highest poverty. All students are offered free breakfast and lunch, and I am thankful that they don't have to worry about what they will eat and instead can focus on what they will learn.
My Project
Learning is a social act, and my students and I want our classroom to reflect that philosophy. Because it is expensive to outfit a classroom with furniture that will stand the test of time, I am going to break this project into multiple parts for the best chance of funding. It will take extra time and work, yes, but the students are worth it!
For this project, I am requesting HON flip-base multi-purpose tables and HON stacking chairs.
I spent a lot of time researching which tables and chairs would best suit my students' needs. I decided on these tables because they are on casters and can be folded and moved aside when needed. The stacking chairs provide lumbar support and are warranted to hold up to 300 pounds. These school furniture choices are made in the USA, backed by a warranty, and offer durability, flexibility, and comfort.
When we transition from traditional desks to tables, the goal is to improve students' collaboration skills by encouraging them to reach out to each other to solve problems and share knowledge. This builds deeper knowledge and understanding.
Steve Jobs is quoted as saying, "Great things in business are never done by one person. They are done by a team of people." By encouraging students to collaborate more, I believe we are better equipping them for life after high school. Collaboration -- which requires effort and practice -- is another skill for students to develop and add to their toolbox.
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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 Mrs. Hollands and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.