My students love being in school. School is a stable, safe place for them to learn. Although many students enter my first grade below grade level, most leave having met grade level goals. We try. We make mistakes. We help each other. We teach each other and have fun the entire time!
I teach in a very large urban, public school district.
Most of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Many are refugees who speak little English when they start. I have had students speaking 5 different languages in my classroom. My class also includes special education students. Despite many students being considered "at risk" they strive to make progress each and every day. They enjoy working in groups and independently. I teach a class of enthusiastic, curious first graders. They are always ready to learn something new. I strive daily to make learning more engaging and enjoyable for my class. We have fun learning! I have found that my students learn best with hands-on experiences.
My Project
The new math materials would serve a multitude of purposes. They would be used to do demonstration lessons, They would also be used in small groups to promote math conversations. At times, the materials will be used independently by a single student or for tutoring. In math stations, students will be given a task or problem to solve. Students will work together with concrete materials that help them better understand the math concepts. In a teacher guided group, math games will be used to heighten engagement. In first grade, my students learn so much through games and by listening to the reasoning of others. New games and materials are always motivating for students. I love hearing students say, "Can we play that again?" after playing a math card game. My goal is to make math activities and games more fun, interesting and challenging than the video games many students resort to at home.
For students who have very few learning resources at home and who have parents who are unable to help them with homework because of language differences, engaging concrete materials will make learning memorable and exciting.
When students want to play a game or be involved in an activity over and over again, the learned skills create a foundation for future mathematicians, architects, engineers, actuaries, electricians, carpenters, scientists, and accountants. My class IS the future. Thank you!
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 Ms. Sylvester and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.