Have you ever felt nervous before a job interview, stuttering over your words, trying to figure out just what to say? Do you ever wish that you could replay a scene so that you could see just how you interacted with a group? Have you ever dreamed of creating a video diary to record your life experiences, views about the world, and what you've learned? A video camera would afford my special needs students this incredible opportunity.
I work with almost 200 Special Education students and English Language Learners. They are inner-city high school students living in some of our nation's toughest neighborhoods. Most of them hope to be the first person to graduate from high school in the family and hopefully attend, and graduate from, college. Nearly one hundred percent of them live below poverty level. The overwhelming majority come from broken homes, foster care, or group homes. As their social worker and counselor, my job is to help our most learning challenged and disadvantaged students work through their difficult lives and understand how cope with their learning challenges.
My students will discuss important issues and record their dialogues with the video camera. They will replay the discussions to understand how they communicate and interact with each other. They will also create media projects that will be shared with other schools in the Bronx, our sister school in Ohio, and even around the nation. This video camera will provide immediate and unbiased feedback that will help students improve skills related to job interviews and self-advocacy when dealing with colleges and social agencies. This objective feedback will also help students overcome their learning challenges and social issues so that they will become successful students both inside and outside of the classroom.
Your donation will bring students together in a productive environment where they will learn to be active media learners instead of passive consumers of television, smart phones, and video games. You will enable my students to have a safe setting where they make mistakes and learn from them so they can pass their classes, graduate from high school, go to college, and secure their first job. They will improve social skills while they interact with each other as they produce meaningful video projects about their lives and the world around them. They will also be introduced to the basic principles of broadcast journalism so that they can learn about how media impacts their lives.
You will allow my students to learn cooperation and teamwork as they work on group projects. You will give them a unique avenue to express their ideas and emotions with a video diary. You will help them focus on succeeding in school and achieving their goals of attending college. You will give my students the opportunity they need to develop the skills necessary to become successful adults in the 21st Century.
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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. Lorenzo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.