Help me give my students calculators so they can focus on higher-level thinking instead of arithmetic.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Nico's classroom raised $359
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
Middle schoolers are amazing. They're young enough that they're still enthusiastic about everything, and they're old enough to be aware that the choices they make every day will impact them in the future.
A big part of my job as a middle school teacher is building the skills of self-awareness and self-advocacy in each of my students.
I teach them to think about and understand what they need to be successful and how to get the supports they've identified.
Our school has a diverse grouping of students learning English as a new language, students with physical and learning disabilities, and students from every socio-economic background you can imagine. What do all of these kids have in common? Each and every one of them can learn. Each and every one of them can be successful. Each and every one of them is cared for in our school. Each and every one of them is special to me.
My Project
Eighth grade math is a fascinating collection of topics: 3D geometry, systems of equations, bivariate data, geometric transformations, graphing equations, angle relationships, and...everyone's favorite...Pythagorean Theorem. There are so many opportunities for rich higher-level mathematical thinking. Some students feel like they cannot engage in the higher-level thinking because they have knowledge gaps in their basic arithmetic skills. They struggle with their basic math facts - addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They think that, since they aren't fluent in these basic skills, they cannot do the higher-level math.
No student should be prevented from learning and growing because they aren't confident in their arithmetic skills.
There is a simple tool that removes the barrier of basic arithmetic between a student and rich, higher-level mathematical thinking: a calculator.
Students who struggle with their times tables can do algebra. Students who shrink away from division and long division can solve systems of equations. Students who are not confident in their ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide can still work with exponents, graph linear equations, create scatter plots, and, yes, use the Pythagorean Theorem to determine if a piece of furniture will fit through a door. All they need is a calculator to help them plow through the arithmetic. They're learning to solve complex problems and think about math in abstract ways without the distraction and embarrassment of struggling with basic math facts. We believe all students can engage in meaningful eighth grade math thinking to prepare them for high school if they are given the right tools to succeed. Calculators are an essential tool to make this happen for all of our students.
More than half 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 Ms. Nico and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
