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.
Organization and retention are key to my students' achievement in Mathematics.
I teach 7th and 8th grade special education mathematics to 40 amazing students, each with his or her own unique set of needs. Our school serves high-need students within a large, urban, disadvantaged community in New York.
Among the many special needs of my students is their constant struggle with organization. If you simply lectured at my students and told them to take notes, very little learning would occur. My students need structure and visual aids in every aspect of class, from note-taking to reminders of content around the classroom.
In a school where teachers are not provided with paper or white board markers, and many students can't afford basic materials such as pencils, my students are faced with particularly large obstacles. Many have unstable home situations, which causes the materials they do have to disappear overnight. This grant is aimed at putting the basics into our classroom to help us get organized and continue the practices that will lead my students to academic achievement despite their special needs.
My students LOVE graphic organizers. Worksheets help them organize their thoughts and provide me with an easy way to check that we are all on the same page during lessons. Basic supplies such as pencils, pencil sharpeners, and a stapler help ensure that students have the basics to take notes and maintain a notebook.
The bins that are included in the grant will make it possible for students to keep as much of their work as possible in the classroom, so that they don't have to take it home, or wherever they go after school. Maintenance of notes is a HUGE deal for students who have memory issues. They need constant visual reminders of what they have mastered in the past.
On that note, the chart paper and sentence strips will give my students a chance to decorate the classroom with their own renderings of content such as lines, angles, percents, and dilation. The one time we were able to make posters, it was a huge success. The students are proud of the work that is displayed in the classroom for all to see.
The materials in this grant are not flashy or high-tech, but they are essential for my students to achieve. Organization is key, and by helping my students and their math classroom get organized, you will be helping them take themselves to the next level in Math. Thank you!
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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 Mr. Cataldo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.