I teach all grade levels at a rural, Title I high school.
Most of my students start the year afraid of math. Many have had negative or discouraging experiences in previous math classes.
Most of my students come from low income families that struggle to make ends meet. I have students that spend their evenings working to contribute to the family income, or even taking care of children of their own.
It breaks my heart to know that for many of them a subject that I love is only a source of fear, stress, and anxiety.
My goal is to help bring the subject alive for these students so that they may get a glimpse of the true beauty of mathematics, or at least a basic acceptance that math can be pretty cool! Maybe some of them will even discover a true, personal passion!
My Project
Most high school students begin my classes with a fear or anxiety about math.
For some, it is because they have struggled with past concepts.
For others, being unprepared for class due to family resource limitations has put them in embarrassing situations in the past. Still others are simply bored.
My project this year is to redirect the common thoughts that my students have about mathematics. I want to show they that math can be so cool and so much fun! I plan to do this in part by removing unnecessary obstacles such as finding a pencil or worrying about having to sharpen that pencil in the middle of class! Additionally, it is my goal to incorporate a hands on exploration, demonstration, or game into each lesson. This will help the students stay engaged, visualize concepts, and retain information.
Imagine a lively Pictionary game on an easel pad for a lesson review in geometry, students racing to hit the group buzzer when they know the answer of a math jeopardy problem, or students in a financial algebra class using clipboards to fill out or review credit applications in a real-world Banking role play.
I want my classroom to be a safe, comfortable space for my students to learn, ask questions, and simply be themselves! This is such a great need for so many high school students. They have enough to struggle with. I want to ensure that their time with me is enriching their lives, not causing excess stress and frustration.
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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. McCormick and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.