Math = Fun + Creativity + Exploration + Flexibility
My students need math manipulatives and supplies like dice, paper trays and counters.
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Gehler's classroom raised $351
This project is fully funded
My Students
Are you someone who struggled with math as a child? Did you avoid it or find yourself saying, "I'm not a math person."? My goal is to make all levels of math accessible for my students. I want my students to see math as a puzzle, a creative outlet, a way to make connections between ideas.
My classroom (and students) are busy!
They are always moving, always exploring, always engaged in conversation. I have a unique classroom in that I take them under my wing as 1st graders and hold on to them until they are ready to go on to 3rd grade. Spending two years with my students is magical. I am able to truly understand their personalities, their academic development, and social strengths and challenges. Growing through our school, an international Peace Site and Open School, my students are sweet and compassionate. They thrive on hands on exploration and developing skills through real-life experiences. I foster creativity, perseverance, confidence, and determination in students. As many children in my classroom often do not get academic support at home, we try to create a broad range of experiences for them in the classroom. My students rely on me for not only academic successes, but social instruction, a safe environment, love, consistency, and dependability.
My Project
This year my students are struggling with math and number sense skills. There are a variety of activities that can support a child's number sense, but it can be hard if you do not have the materials to support this. 1st and 2nd graders need time to explore quantities, play games, and manipulate objects to create and strengthen their own number sense. These materials will support our work with individualized math lessons based on a child's developmental level. These materials will allow exploration and engagement in math games for connections between instruction and application. My students will learn flexibility and fluidity with numbers. In the book About Teaching Mathematics, Marilyn Burns describes strong number sense as: “to think and reason flexibly with numbers, use numbers to solve problems, spot unreasonable answers, understand how numbers can be taken apart and put together in different ways, see connections among operations, figure mentally, and make reasonable estimates."
With these materials in our classroom, my students will have equal access to powerful instruction.
They will no longer be searching for materials to substitute. As students explore these materials in purposeful ways their confidence in their math skills will grow. They will see themselves as successful mathematicians. This donation will allow my students say, "I love Math!" and "I am a math person!" These math skills will prepare my students for success in their continued higher education.
Nearly all 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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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. Gehler and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.