I am a first year teacher in Jefferson County Public Schools. Being a Title 1 School means a high percentage of our children are from low-income families. Our goal is to ensure that all children have the opportunity to meet and exceed challenging state academic standards.
Since we are a title 1 school, students receive two meals a day at no charge to them.
I have many students who do not have both parents in their lives and others who go home to cook and clean for themselves. My students were a bit of a challenge at the beginning of the year. I learned that they were seeking for an adult figure to show them compassion, and give them the courage to know they can achieve their goals. Our school family which includes teachers, administrators and students does exactly that! Not only does our administrators give us support but every teacher in our school is always willing to help each other in any way.
My Project
Currently, we have one iPad in our classroom, to share among 24 students. There are a total of 75 students throughout the day. There are many applications available on the iPad that strengthen student skills, as well as engaging them and making them excited about learning.
Since all students learn at different levels, with five iPads my students could be grouped to differentiate instruction, focus on grammar skills, reading comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary.
For instance, one of our writing standards is for each student to complete a research-based paper. Many students are not familiar with traditional forms of research such as dictionaries or encyclopedias and have grown up with a greater dependence on technology. If they lack these skills at this level, they are facing an uphill struggle.
Among the many academic standards are basic vocabulary, grammar, reading and comprehension skills.
Fourth grade is a critical learning year, and it is imperative to focus on the basic building blocks for their future learning. As technology-driven as our world is, it is also important that the children have an opportunity to learn on updated equipment, especially when they may not have any opportunity outside of the classroom.
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
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 Mrs. Frazier and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
