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
I work with an awesome group of students every year. I teach students who do not always get to be like other teens. They are children who require resources more than most. My pupils' parents work multiple jobs to feed their children. These parents do not have money to provide them with all the things they need. Likewise, my kids watch their baby brothers and sisters all night long, help their siblings with their homework, walk them to and from school, and cook their siblings dinner. The school I am privileged to work at is, as you may have guessed, an inner-city school. That means that the expectations of others do not always match reality, but we can change that.
Expectations are scary things, because they can define one's entire future.
People expect my kids to be unable to compete in today's society because they are not smart enough or "well-read." That is not exactly true. Their intelligence is not an issue. Their lack of essential resources, which are needed to thrive, is the issue.
My Project
In college, they will be in classes with students who already had the opportunity to read classics, such as The Great Gatsby. Therefore, for my students to be able to compete with other future college students, it is best that they too read this book. I would tell my students to buy this book themselves, but they do not have the money for their reduced-price lunch or bus tickets. Therefore, how can I ask them to buy this book? Additionally, I cannot send them to our school library. Most of the books were ruined due to mold, and I doubt they will be replaced anytime soon. A novel should not be a luxury item, but to these students it is.
By providing my students with these "luxury items," such as an in-class printer, you will be helping me prepare my students for college.
I am sure that when you were a student, your teachers had lined paper. I know mine did, but times have changed. Students need to print their work out for class. We have 29 Chromebooks in the classroom, but no way to easily get documents off of them. Sadly, most of my students with computers at home cannot print their work because they have no printer. Some pay to print at the library, which I find absurd. It is like they are being punished for doing the right thing. Furthermore, we do not have a computer lab, so they cannot print there either. In today's world, students type their essays, but in my school, today still has not happened yet.
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 Ms. Martin and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
