Prevent Freshman College Failure with Simple Technology
My students need a laptop to work on their 12th grade, 10 page research papers after school. We also need a dedicated printer/copier for drafts and handouts.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Pytel's classroom raised $526
This project is fully funded
My Students
My seniors are right in the middle of their mandated 10 page research papers, and our school has a tech deficit! With laptops available only by "reservation," a dedicated classroom laptop for after-school work is vital, as it facilitates one-on-one work. And a printer is essential on all levels.
Although our school is dedicated to its students' present and future success, NYC budget cuts limit us to the barest necessities in terms of technology.
Our overworked copiers make a classroom printer/copier a definite boon. Our student laptops are stretched equally thin, presently a problem when I need to work individually with a senior on her research paper. While our students have -- and love -- their phones, their access to home computers is sadly limited, and many of them work or take care of younger siblings, making coordinating their after-school schedules with library hours a challenge. A laptop allows me to work side-by-side after school without needing to reserve the over-requested laptops. And this paper matters - graduates have reported the experience of researching and writing a 10 page paper mostly independently saved them from being totally overwhelmed in college and failing.
My Project
As explained above, the simple addition of a new laptop to my class will permit my students to work one-on-one with me when they need individualized attention for their 10 page research papers, which, after three years of guiding my seniors through this project, I can attest is key to their success.
As for an in-class printer/copier, the mere ability to copy without needing to worry whether the over-tasked copier in the teachers' room will be working at any given moment provides me with time to plan and focus on my students, not on being a secretary! Moreover, with our focus on non-fiction texts in addition to novels, copies have become an ever-increasing part of our curriculum.
This is not a glamorous project/request.
It's not "fun" or even "creative." Viewed next to projects involving art supplies, field trips, musical instruments, or even lab equipment, it's downright mundane. But it's vital, because this simple addition of basic technology will give me the tools to give my students the help they need to complete a long-term, mainly independent writing project designed to give them a taste of the realities of college.
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 Ms. Pytel and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.