This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
My students walk into our classroom every day full of life, ready to learn, and excited for what is in store for them that day.
I teach at a high needs renewal school in Queens County, NYC, where 99 percent of our students receive free breakfast and lunch.
We also have a daycare on premises to support young mothers working hard to earn their credits in order to graduate. Despite so many hardships, my students are eager to learn and do their best. They work hard in the classroom because they want to learn all they can to give themselves the opportunity to succeed in this competitive digital world.
My Project
This year, I hope to bring my devotion to the theater into my classroom. After earning my BFA, I ran an experimental theater company while writing profiles of local directors and playwrights. So you get a sense here of my interest in the art. Since I began working for the DOE, I struggled to find the right work to build a year-long curriculum around. That is, until I listened to Lin Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton' soundtrack in 2015. My wife and I finally got to see this incredible piece, and the experience has emboldened me to teach the play in its entirety this year to all of my classes.
In order to do this, however, I would first need to bring my practice--and classroom--out of the dark ages, and into the modern era.
I currently teach my lessons longhand--using dismal chalk and wasteful chart paper. A new laptop would go a long way to better presenting my lessons and engaging my students in the learning process. It will enable me to present my ambitious units, including 'Hamilton', in various formats (Power Point, Videos, Audio) that allow for multiple entry points of learning (Jeopardy, etc). Short of attending the Broadway show in person, I can't think of a more engaging set of lessons on Lin Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical than one which incorporates video excerpts of the performance, as well as interviews with the cast and producers; screenings of related documentaries; and a class sing-along of selections from the soundtrack. This is how colleges and universities already conduct class. It goes without saying, then, that a new laptop would make such a dynamic reality a daily one in the classroom for all of my students, while simultaneously preparing them to interact in an increasingly digital environment at college and beyond.
More than three‑quarters of 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 Teacher Javier and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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