My students need a student-friendly video camera, a PA system and a microphone to enable them to create multimedia projects, such as debates, presentations, and virtual portfolios.
Gone are the days of squirming uncomfortably in front of the class dreading that oral report...With this technology, our students can video and edit their debates, and add them to their digital portfolio, learning poise, confidence, and skills that will catapult them into the 21st century.
Hawaii is a crossroad to Asia and the Pacific from the U.S.
mainland. While many associate our location with luxurious vacation venues, most do not realize the harsh socio-economic struggles for many of the residents, especially in the Big Island where we live, where our population of 140,00 are primarily located in rural areas. Our school serves a high population of economically disadvantaged students, with 25% English Language Learners. Many speak a form of non-standard pidgeon English at home, without opportunities to practice Standard English formal speaking (as required by the Common Core Standards, and to be college and career ready) outside of school. This is coupled with inexperience and limited access to technology outside of school on a regular basis. Technology resources and presentation skills, vital to career readiness and as a life skill, are often removed from the school budget as we struggle to cope with funding cuts in the current economic climate in our country.
My Project
As we begin Common Core, our students have recently been introduced to the power of argument and debate, which are integral to the new curriculum. They have overcome their fears of public speaking, and presented arguments in front of their peers on controversial subjects, ranging from social media to the ethics of the death penalty. However, the power of seeing oneself speak cannot be minimized. With a microphone to boost the volume of our shy students, and a student-friendly Flip video camera, my middle school students, all of whom receive special education services, can learn how to be more confident in front of an audience, can critique their own performances, and can edit their presentations to a publishable level. They are incredibly enthusiastic about their debates, and are learning how to evaluate sources and how to argue persuasively. These simple tools can multiply the effectiveness of our debates, enable them to create digital portfolios, and improve their performances.
Our students are digital natives in a digital world--it is vital that they have access to technological skills that can open doors as they grow towards adulthood.
A video camera and a microphone are such simple things, yet have the power to boost self-esteem, increase our students' ability to stand in front of an audience and be confident and persuasive. If this project is funded, I can guarantee it will make a difference in the lives of our students, and open new doors of opportunity for them.
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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. Wilson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.