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.
My Students
In a school where technology is not used by the majority of the teachers, I take pride in using technology on a regular basis to stimulate students and facilitate learning. I have several online sources I use such as Historychannel.com and Facing History & Ourselves to bring topics to life.
100% of my students are urban, African American from a socio-economic background that finds them below the poverty line.
Many of my students come from broken homes with no father in the picture and where education is not valued. The school they attend is a vocational high school, yet many of the students have dreams of attending college. I am fortunate in that most of my students are honors students, and I do achieve a higher level of expectation from them than the general population, though compared to better schools, they are still closer to regular level students. Less than half of the males in my school district will graduate high school, as many will turn to drugs, gangs, and crime and find themselves incarcerated or deceased. Many of my students are able to overcome the insurmountable odds before them, however, and will go on to success in college and beyond. Most of my students have seen and been through more by the age of 15 than many people will ever go through.
My Project
The speakers I am requesting will allow my students to be able to hear the clips I present to them off of the Internet. As it is now, I am only able to use the factory computer speakers, and while these work, the size of the classroom makes it nearly impossible for students in the back of the room to hear what is happening. Basically, if everyone is very still and does not move in their seat at all (and doesn't cough or sneeze!), then most students can make out most of what is going on. This is also assuming there is no noise coming in from the hallway (which is rare). These speakers will be able to make the lessons I am trying to get across more enjoyable and more powerful for my students. For example, when I show clips of the Children's March in AL during the Civil Rights movement, the sound of dogs growling and biting activists will provide a more significant impact.
My dry eraser will make writing lessons on the dry erase board more clear and easy to read.
When all of my students are able to hear what is being portrayed on my overhead screen without having to strain to do so, they will be able to better understand history and step into the shoes of those who went before them.
The lessons I have that use the Internet are designed to show my students that the struggles that were fought to attain equality in this world are still being fought and that it is up to them to continue the fight to make the world the type of place they want to live in.
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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. Buss and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.