My students need an Apple iPod Touch and two Apple iPod Shuffles to help motivate them to do well in my class and stay in school.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Tarr's classroom raised $528
This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
What motivates struggling students to stay in school? I teach Theatre to 7th and 8th graders in an urban middle school in Southern California that is under-resourced. I need your help to motivate my students to excel in my Theatre class and inspire them to stay in school.
The graduation rate for our school district is 42% according to statistics released by the EPE Research Center.
Middle school is the time when most students will decide whether they will stay in school or drop out. Many of my students have a family member who is in a gang, in jail, struggling with employment and other issues. With so many distractions outside of school, it can be challenging to convince students that education is the answer to a better life. But they walk through the doors of my classroom because they are inspired to learn more about Theatre and are willing to take risks to expand their perspective. I'm lucky to teach a subject that may hook them in to school when the other subjects may be too challenging or seem uninteresting to them at this point in their development. I'm able to teach skills like concentration, observation, trust, imagination, self-confidence, and ensemble building. These are life skills that help them in every other area of learning as well.
My Project
I have established a common collaborative grouping system that holds students accountable to each other while rewarding groups that complete their work, come to class prepared, and consistently demonstrate positive and respectful behavior. Student groups are rewarded with raffle tickets each week, and if students know that the grand prize is something truly exciting then they get excited, which in turn translates to higher motivation levels in the classroom. In middle school, when students choose a path they will likely follow later in high school, a shot at the grand prize could make all of the difference between graduating and dropping out.
In order to keep my students motivated I am requesting an iPod Touch and two iPod Shuffles as fantastic prizes for my positive reward system.
Your help will ensure that these students succeed and become one less statistic in the dropout rate.
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. Tarr and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
