My students need 5 Leapfrog LeapPad3 Learning Tablets and a download card so that I can download educational apps and books for them to use during Literacy Centers.
I was testing a low-achieving student's reading level a few weeks back. In the middle of the book, he looked up at me and said, "Mrs. Miller, I'm actually reading a book...I'm doing it!" That genuine excitement for reading is a feeling I want all my students to experience as often as possible.
My Kindergartners are growing up in a world of technology, but we don't have the opportunity to get our hands on it!
My school doesn't have Kindergarten-friendly technological resources for my students to use. They need to be exposed to various forms of technology in order to be successful in this day and age.
I have a class full of 5 and 6 year old Kindergarten students. The majority of them come from low-income, single-parent homes, in which very little importance is placed on education. Most have never gone to preschool and start school almost a full year behind. They come to my classroom in the fall with very little life experience and a whole lot of baggage. But along with that baggage comes an incredible amount of love and an eagerness to learn that melts my heart daily. The smiles on their faces when they read a book for the first time is magical!
My Project
LeapPads are "tablets" for children on which they can access different apps that enhance their reading capabilities. There are apps to download that include books to read, educational games, flashcards, audio and writing, etc. These LeapPads would be put into a learning center in my classroom that students could visit each day. They would finally have some exposure to technology and they'd be learning at the same time! The LeapPads also have built-in microphones and video cameras so my students could record themselves reading and watch it back to see what kinds of errors they make while reading. As Kindergarten becomes more and more demanding and rigorous, I truly believe these LeapPads could give my kiddos the opportunity to learn and "play" at the same time, which could be greatly beneficial in establishing a love of learning.
Kindergarten is not what it was 20 years ago.
My students are expected to read and write sentences by the time they leave me in June. The majority of my students get no support in these skills at home. By funding this project, you'll give my students exposure to reading and writing in a whole new way...a technological way that will help prepare them for life in the 21st century.
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