A typical day in our room begins with intensive phonics and grammar instruction, followed by almost 2 hours of vocabulary and reading instruction. Our classroom is an English Language Development program, so most all of the day is filled with intensive English instruction, and little time for "fun".
Our school is a Title I school with 93% of the student population qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
The 23 students in our room are learning English as a second language while simultaneously striving for the reading and math expectations set for all 2nd grade (native English-speaking) students throughout the country. All 23 students try their hardest in academics, as well as uphold our schoolwide "Pillars of Character" - Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship - to their full potential. Every student in our room contributes a unique quality to our well-oiled classroom routine. (If you ask me, all of the kids in my classroom are sweet, caring individuals that deserve the best!)
My Project
Technology is quickly becoming an essential part of every aspect of everyday life - but it has not yet been incorporated into school curriculum. My students receive 1 hour of computer instruction every other week; hardly enough time with technology to become comfortable and literate.
To have an iPad in our classroom would be more than exciting for my students - whom come from homes with little or no technology. An iPad would create an extrinsic (outside) goal for each student to strive toward being able to use. The iPad would be used daily by each student (given that they have earned their daily "iPad time"), with supervision by either myself (teacher) or an instructional aide. Students will be able to choose from a repertoire of reading or math learning games on the iPad, and practice this chosen skill (individually) for 20 minutes. (As students become comfortable with the technology, time-allotment may be increased).
My students will greatly benefit from daily technology practice.
Because my students come from low-income homes, I feel it is my duty to introduce them to technology that they may never experience otherwise. Students will be excited to practice essential reading and math skills when they are made entertaining through iPad games. With the use of an iPad, the students in our room will not only be comfortable with technology, but they will exceed reading and math expectations by the end of the year.
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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. Bannerman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.