Were you the student who always raised your hand in class, or did you try to hide your befuddlement by shrinking into the background? Did you see classmates act out so they could avoid work they could not do? A colleague gave me a great idea: mini-whiteboards so every child can be heard and taught!
We are a top math-and-science high school in New York City because of our amazing students, who excel in spite of the often poverty-stricken homes and neighborhoods they come from.
Some travel 90 minutes or more to get to school. There are many students with special needs in my classes, not to mention immigrant students who are not yet fluent in English. They are often uncomfortable speaking in class, along with others whose self-confidence I try to rebuild.
They are respectful, eager to learn, and willing to work. But not everyone does well on tests or assignments; most are shy to ask questions when they do not understand. Many do not even know when to ask questions at all.
My colleagues work hard, and we often buy our own supplies, such as copy paper, due to budget constraints. (I have 4 cases in my closet right now. They will not last the school year.) We want the best for our students--they deserve it and benefit greatly from it.
My Project
All my classes have students who want to answer every question, while the majority often sit quietly even when they have the answer. I cold-call, but many students are too nervous, shy, or insecure to respond. In AP Computer Science classes, almost no girls ever answer questions despite many being top-performers and others are barely hanging on.
I am requesting 40 individual whiteboards, 4 packs of markers, 40 erasers, and 1 storage trunk.
Individual whiteboards will allow me to see every answer (or blanks) frequently during any lesson. I can quickly target those who make egregious or frequent mistakes, and identify misunderstandings without looking over their shoulders. Especially in geometry, students can quickly draw shapes or "photograph" their minds, without words or numbers.
I can use Do Now as non-graded quizzes to identify those struggling before they fail tests. I can adjust lessons on the fly if many students are not learning. I can take quick polls on an issue of the minute. I can be a much more effective teacher because all my students will be seen, heard, and helped.
The few students who fail to graduate from our school often fail math for the first time in geometry, because of its emphasis on literacy, memorization, and abstract spatial thinking.
Meanwhile, AP Computer Science is the most difficult of all college-level courses offered at our school. It is a subject unlike any others, in a notoriously male-dominated field--and I can see why in my room.
I want to help every student succeed. I fail when my students fail. They can succeed with your help.
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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. L. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.