We are crew, not passengers. This is the phrase used to guide learning in my classroom. Students are discovering how working together means we all achieve success together.
My students reflect the melting pot that is the United States.
They come from all walks of life and join together in my classroom where they live, breath, and work together for eight hours a day. Many of my students lack the basic skills needed to learn and work together.
My school engages students in a challenging program where all core subjects, as well as technology, fine arts, physical fitness and Spanish, are integrated into deep investigations of real-world issues. We call these Expeditions, and they connect classroom content to everyday life. What better way to connect to everyday life than to be able to work well with the people you are surrounded by?
My Project
Using the Sitka Swing, my students will have to work together to get a swinging pole from one place to the other by each holding onto a different rope that is attached to the pole. It is challenging and requires students to work together. The parachute and GroupLoop also require students to work together in a fun and exciting way.
I believe that students learn best by doing. Students, and adults for that matter, can talk about cooperation, respect, and leadership until they are blue in the face, but doing activities that actually require those things helps them realize and understand their importance. The team building materials I'm requesting will allow students to work together, problem solve, and begin to respect each other's ideas. These activities set students up to share a common goal, remove inhibitors, and help to introduce the resources, skills, information and processes to help them achieve the common goal.
These materials will not only allow me to foster a classroom environment where students feel comfortable working together and sharing ideas, but it will allow these students to take these skills with them to become productive, cooperative members of our community.
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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. Jones and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.