We are a learning community. Ours is a neighborhood school in a large, complex, diverse urban district. We are starting our third year and have grown each year since we have opened. It is exciting to be a part of a vibrant and active community. We love that our classrooms are filled with diversity, are inclusive of people who have different needs or views than our own, and are centered around students making academic progress and showing growth as classroom and school community members.
Do we celebrate diversity here?!
Do we have ELL students? Yes! Students who fall on the autism spectrum, sure! Kids with low socio-economic status, absolutely! Kids who have some advantages over some of their classmates, yup! A wide variety of skin tones, cultural backgrounds, ethnicities? Yes, yes, yes. Kids who need enrichment or need a little extra help throughout the day...of course, of course.
At our school, we take kids for who they are and help them grow and discover who they can be as scholars and community members. This is also the case for my specific second grade classroom.
My Project
When we think of school "long ago" we may think of kids holding small chalk boards. If we think of "not so long ago," we might envision piles of purple-inky "dittos" or stacks of worksheets still warm from a photocopier machine.
Today, students "show what they know," and document their thinking on small whiteboards.
We use these tools heavily throughout the school day. On the plain white side, we are able to draw models, create graphic organizers, make character sketches, practice word-work, and explore different ways to demonstrate an understanding of mathematics. On the lined side we make lists, practice handwriting, perfect sentences, write poetry, and even write learning goals or respond to questions.
Of course, we "got" whiteboards a few years ago, but with two years of heavy usage, these are beginning to show the stains of previous thinking and the bumps and blemishes that come from being used all day long by active second graders.
These specific 9" x 12" whiteboards are double-sided, write & wipe ready, and magnetic! This handy lapboard has it all! It is made of super strong, tempered masonite board, and it has blank writing and drawing space on front, with permanent baselines on back.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Peterson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.