I have been teaching in a Title I elementary school for the past 3 years and have had some amazing students along the way. I went from teaching fourth grade to a 4th/5th combo where I have double the standards the teach with the same amount of hours anyone else has in a day.
My students are absolutely incredible.
These students are hard-working, responsible, creative, and better yet... understanding. They understand that our classroom is unique and that I can't possibly do everything at once with two grade levels in a room. They understand that they have to work hard and try harder. They understand that they have to be responsible for themselves and take ownership of their learning as much as I have to take ownership of their learning. They are compassionate, kind, loving, and are the future of our world.
My Project
People think teachers have it easy because "we get summers off." Yeah, this couldn't be further from the truth! Summers, for teachers, are for professional development and refining our best practices. Any good teacher will tell you that throughout the school year we are constantly thinking of things we would change for next year. We come up with new ideas and projects and store them in the back of our minds (or on a Google doc or post-it) to remember for next year.
So when do we spend our time learning and making these changes if it's not during the school year - in the summer!
Most teachers will tell you they spend at least a few weeks rejuvenating and recharging after the grueling end of the school year, and then they go back to planning. I do my best thinking and strategizing in the summer when I'm fresh and have TIME. So I'm looking for an opportunity to better myself and my teaching by going to Get Your Teach On!
Get Your Teach On is a nationally-known conference where teachers go to learn and grow as educators. Given the chance to go, I would be given new outlooks, new strategies, new material, and a new perspective to bring back to my students in the new year. I have been reading about and hearing about this conference for the past year and would love the opportunity to attend it.
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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. Johnston and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
