"A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions." - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
I use hand-on activities, science songs, and video clips to help all styles of learners and keep students engaged. I want my students to be active participants in my classroom.
I am lucky to teach around 100 high school students in grades 10-12.
We are a rural, low-income school district surrounded by farmland, which many students live and work on. Many of my students are tactile or kinesthetic learners. After our district downsized and cut our industrial arts and family consumer science programs and half of our music, agriculture, and art programs, I saw my class sizes grow and students lose some of the hands-on experiences they greatly enjoyed. I have been striving to give my students more hands-on opportunities and one on one attention, but it has been difficult. Often times it is hard to circulate to every student in the classroom to provide one on one attention during a single class period. I am always looking for new ways to informally assess my students to check for understanding so we can address any issues before the test or formal assessment. I want to set my students up for success and make sure they are understanding the materials along the way.
My Project
These materials would help me better assess the needs of my students. Dry erase paddles at each student desk would be a great tool to review and make sure they are comprehending material before we more on to more difficult topics. It would provide me a way to quickly check which students need extra help. It would also save a lot of paper and grading time, as I would be able to assess student knowledge in a quick easy manner right in class. I think students will enjoy doing something new and it will allow them to get one on one help when it is needed. It will also allow students to actively participate in class lectures. Students can also use these boards to collect and analyze lab data, ask questions, and communicate to me if they do not want to raise their hand in front of the entire class. I'm excited to explore all of the possibilities these dry erase paddles can provide.
This project will make a difference in student learning because I will be able to assess throughout a lesson, rather than just at the end.
It will allow me to focus on exactly what the students need. Informal assessments are a critical step in the learning process to catch and correct errors at an early stage. All students will have the opportunity to participate and answer questions, instead of raising hands for one student to answer. All of my students will be able to actively participate.
More than a third of 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 Mrs. Abrams-Ruque and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
