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
“We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.” – David Warlick
Our school is located in Baltimore City, Maryland.
My students are incredibly energetic, kind, and curious ninth graders. They come from diverse backgrounds with varied experiences. They are wonderful children, but many of them struggle with the common problems associated with inner city life, including but not limited to: poverty, homelessness, and gang activity in their communities. These things present a myriad of struggles but are also an asset, because my students have experiences that make them wise beyond their age.
My students have dreams of becoming policemen, daycare workers and chefs. I teach in a self-contained classroom, meaning all of my students have disabilities that making learning a struggle. Despite these challenges, my class is bursting with personality and life. We spend our days doing lab experiments, reading articles, and learning new vocabulary.
My Project
Many of my students struggle with ADHD, and therefore need immediate feedback on their performance in order to keep them on task. This iPad will be used to monitor behavior in the classroom through an app called Classroom Dojo. Students will get a personalized report at the end of each class with a letter grade, and feedback on what they did well and what they need to work on. This information will be sent to their homes so their parents can stay involved in their students' education.
Additionally, I have students in my room that range in reading and math skills from the first grade levels to fifth grade levels. This iPad will help my students who are more advanced to work ahead while I work in small groups with the students that are struggling. It will also be used to help students who are struggling to individually review. When we are doing station activities, some students will be able to do an activity on a tablet, while other students work with me at another station.
My class currently has no tablets.
This iPad will update our classroom's technology to make a modern learning environment. It will help to make it a space in which all students are learning, because students who are at different learning levels can be doing different activities simultaneously during class. This differentiated style of instruction will speed up the pace of learning in our classroom.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Kuwahara and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.