The cost of 20 White Boards (from Delta Education) and various supplies, including markers and journals (from Quill Corporation, Nasco, Carolina Biological Supply Company, and Kaplan Early Learning Company) is $412, including shipping and <a target="new" href="http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm" onclick="g_openWindow('http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm', 300, 800, 'fulfillwindow');return false;">fulfillment</a>.
I teach second grade at Malcolm X Academy in San Francisco. It is a public K-5 elementary school located in Hunter's Point, a community challenged by poverty and crime. The population of my school is approximately 70% African American, 30% Samoan, and a handful of others. This school year, I have 19 students in my class who are very energetic and active and hungry for knowledge. Their minds are like sponges, absorbing everything taught to them, which keeps me on my toes. Therefore, I use a variety of teaching methods to capture their attention.
One of the activities is interactive writing, where each student has their own white board on their laps and writes along as we discuss our feelings about something we just read, or a math strategy, or phonics (spelling) lessons. The students pay attention and really learn quickly with the added engagement of the white board. They feel special and productive during the lesson, rather than just having to listen.
Unfortunately, I do not have 19 white boards in my classroom nor in our school supply room, due to our extremely limited budget. In the past, students have shared the white boards with one another, but as I received additional students into my class, I had to resort to using paper instead of the white boards.
Interactive writing is a great way to engage students, especially when using white boards and markers, because the students feel like they are the teachers. This is my sixth year at Malcolm X, and I feel privileged to have been able to teach and make an impact on the students in this community. I feel that any extra time and money spent on my students is well worth every minute and penny! However, through DonorsChoose, I would like to give more to my students who have so little to begin with. In addtion, I would like to add dry erase markers, journals, pencils, erasers, index cards, and color pencils to enhance their learning experience.
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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. Yom and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
