Help me give my students a more welcoming classroom environment, better suited for keeping students engaged and on task with a pencil sharpener and wall maps.
Students who grow up in this last little remote corner of Vermont, the 'Northeast Kingdom,' have a uniquely grounded perspective on life. They come in to class begrudging all the wood they had to chop the night before, a two-hour snowy commute, their second shift at the general store, or the rusted brake pads in their old pickup truck they need to fix.
Vermonters live fiercely by a do-it-yourself ethic, and my students are certainly kept busy by the demands of rural Vermont living.
Even still, students manage to show up to school every day with a zest for learning, asking questions, and digging deeper into their curiosities. So many of them are full of energy, just bursting at the seams to share their ideas. Impassioned discussions of politics and philosophy echoes down the halls and carries into classrooms. In this way, my students embody the best qualities Vermonters have to offer: they not only have an ability to work and think with their hands, but to treasure and uphold a true participatory democracy. The world would be for the better if their voices and actions were amplified on a bigger stage.
My Project
The classroom I now teach in had been left blank all year. In October, the school's social studies teacher had to leave early on medical leave, leaving a revolving door of substitute teachers, and consequently, a classroom that never developed its own personality. It was nothing more than a florescent-lit box with desks scattered about. So when I entered the classroom in January, I immediately redesigned the space: I put up christmas lights and string lights, put down rugs and brought in comfy chairs and a sofa.
The students' reactions to the new space was clear: they felt calm and safe in my classroom; students who had kept quiet began speaking up more; and classmates became more social with one other.
Needless to say, as numerous studies on the subject has shown, physical space has an enormous impact on boosting moods, concentration, and creativity. With these additional maps, plus an auditory signal to keep quiet, the classroom space would not only become more of sanctuary for students, but it would help reinforce a culture for learning.
I often point to maps when I speak, and students find it extremely helpful to visualize the playing field of history and humanity through maps. Thus, having more maps means more resources for students to deepen and reinforce their knowledge about the past and current events.
The bell would very much help keep students on task. My students are incredibly bright and engaged, and can often get carried away in their own conversations. The bell would serve as an easy and more efficient reminder to bring our focus back to one speaker. And the pencil sharpener is necessary simply because students need to sharpen their pencils!
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. Shore and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.