My first grade students come from a Title I school with 86% free and reduced lunch. They are bright, bubbly, and vivacious. However, many of my students face challenges and trauma on a daily basis that I never would have dreamed of as a six-year-old in elementary school. It's not unusual for our kids to enter kindergarten with extremely low-developed language skills (greatly affecting reading and writing) that stem from lack of home exposure or trauma and/or lack of early care.
Many of my first graders start already at a disadvantage than their peers, so, in our classroom, we often need as many different learning tools of support as possible.
Coming in lower, these children have to make larger growth during the year just to catch up and, sometimes, if there is no extra support at home, these little guys have to make this growth during just the six hours at school.
As a teacher, I strive to provide many opportunities for learning and discovery. As a class, we work hard so that every student is set up for a successful future.
My Project
We are asking for iPads in our classroom to use during math and literacy center rotations.
Having access to an iPad opens a world of learning to my students as the versatility of skills offered through apps and the touch screen is incomparable to any learning tool.
With iPads as a center my students will be able to have:
* A math center where they can work with apps tailored to the skill we are working on that day
* Literacy center with virtual sight word flashcards
* Literacy center with learning to read apps
* Literacy center with an interactive spelling game in which the teacher can enter our weekly spelling words
* Listening center with books on tape as well as the option for students to use a QR code to listen to the teacher reading a story for books that we don't have CD's for (which is most books!)
* Literacy center with bright and interactive non-fiction stories tailored to the students' level
* Literacy center where our students can work on handwriting while using the screen to trace with their fingers
As well as the versatility, iPads and technology grasp a level of engagement like none other. Knowing that I have many students in need of extra learning support, I work hard to optimize different strategies and methods that increase optimal engagement and make the most of our time in the classroom. Having a tool such as this, would be a tremendous to asset to my little learners!
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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. Folsom and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
