Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still. -Dorothea Lange
Throughout the day my students ask, "Will you take a picture of this?" Sometimes just viewing a picture of something a student created and experienced is all we need to spark our curiosity!
I am always inspired by my students' excitement about being at school and their eagerness to learn.
I co-teach in a classroom that is a mixture of Pre-K and Kindergarten students. The school that I work in is a Title One school, therefore, my students are no stranger to the daily struggles that come along with living in a high poverty and high crime area. Coming to school is the best part of most of my students' day and their love of school continues to challenge me to provide new and high quality learning experiences.
My Project
Our “Investigation & Research” time is the students' favorite part of the day. During this time the students get to take charge of their learning and select concepts they want to research. The students work in small groups to research a concept and create a representation their learning. One of the many tools that these young children can use to show what they have learned is a digital camera.
For example, imagine a group of students interviewing their principal about what her job entails and how it affects their community. This is a project that a group of my students just completed. Before beginning their interview the students researched, camp up with questions, and wrote their questions down. If the students had access to a digital camera during this interview, they could have taken a picture of the principal and her work space, recorded the interview, and had it to reflect on later as they worked on their representation.
Having digital cameras in our classroom will empower my students to take pride in learning.
Adults have the ability to recall details from their prior knowledge or jot down ideas as they come to us. Putting cameras in the hands of children helps them to develop these skills. A picture can be a powerful tool because every time it is viewed, it takes you back to that experience and moment in time.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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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. Sheffield-Mix and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.