"I get it!" are the words I love to hear from my students. Teaching in a low-income, high drug and gang activity area presents its challenges. However, the students love school because it is a safe environment where they can count on support and attention. They love science because they get to use their hands to watch chemicals fizz and bubble. They get to dissect sheep eyes (when we have the materials), build their own looms and make a woven project to take home.
It is imperative to break the poverty cycle for these students to feel successful and find employment.
The problems arise when I do not have the materials to reach this goal. My classroom has 3 old computers which have to be shared by 50 students and which don't work most of the time. We are in the STEM generation and it is very challenging to teach technology without any! I am pushing to get more technology into my classroom so I can introduce and challenge them with the technology they will be using for the rest of their lives.
My Project
Computer programming and repair is a rapidly growing field. Using the raspberry pi motherboard, I can teach the students programming on a basic level, how a computer works on the inside, and the electronics necessary to run a computer. By exposing them to this type of learning, they gain knowledge, experience, and confidence which they can translate into fantastic employment opportunities.
Without exposure to this field, students born into poverty often say, "I can't do that.
It's too hard." I can change that perception! All I need is your help to get these motherboards so their dreams are not just "pi in the sky."
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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