Math can be confusing enough without having to learn to use different calculators!! My students are required to have the calculator described on our supply list the first day of school. The problem is that stores carry so many different types and brands, that buying the correct one is confusing.
Our school is unique in many ways.
We are the only middle school in the county to house 5th graders (all others begin at 6th grade). Just this year we changed our mascot to match the high school that our students will attend to promote unity and school pride in our community. However, the difference that impacts us the most is that 70%+ of the students attending our school are below the poverty level. Buying school supplies is a rough task for most of the families in our area. While community organizations and businesses do all they can, sometimes it is just not enough.
My Project
For our students, learning to use calculators can be difficult. This is an even harder task if the students bring in 2 or 3 different types of calculators. Each has different ways to perform functions needed during instruction. It takes a long time to teach the different ways and the focus is taken from the concept being taught and placed on the operation of the calculator. Even worse, some students cannot afford a calculator, so they have to borrow one from a classmate. They may borrow a different type of calculator each time, making it harder to learn math and instead having to learn how to use the calculator again. With a uniform classroom set of calculators, not only would ever child have a calculator to use, but they would learn one way to perform a function, which will redirect the focus of the lesson back to the concept at hand.
We need all the help we can get!
With these calculators, the students will be able to see exactly what they are typing, which will eliminate errors. They will also learn ONE way to operate the calculator, which will allow for more time to teach math concepts. The greatest impact, however, will be seeing that each student has a calculator to use. All of these factors will help raise test scores and create confident mathematicians, which is the ultimate goal.
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
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