“If you give people tools, and they use their natural ability and their curiosity, they will develop things in ways that will surprise you very much beyond what you might have expected.”
--Bill Gates
Truer words were never spoken, especially in this technology-driven world. Help us embrace it!
My students have a wide range of disabilities, but they still have big dreams.
I have aspiring teachers, police officers, veterinarians, and parents in my classroom, but they need help to make their dreams come true.
In our building, we service students at the 4-6 grade levels. We have many students, however, who do not fall within these levels when it comes to learning. I serve students who range from 9-13 in age level, 4-7 in grade level, but who function at a preschool-2 grad6 level in all academic areas. My students' disabilities run the gamut--autism, Down syndrome, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disability, and speech disorders. But I wouldn't trade them for anything, and I want to help them achieve their dreams--with your help.
My Project
I am requesting a Barnes & Noble e-reader, the fabulous Nook. As I mentioned above, my students' abilities are all over the map. A lifelong bibliophile, I have a classroom full of books and have instilled that love of reading in my kids. The problem is, many of them cannot actually read the material that we have--or they find lower-level texts that they can read to be too juvenile.
My students love when I read aloud to them, and I love doing it. Very often, however, they want to hear the same book when I am not available to read to them individually. With this e-reader, my students will be empowered to read the book again. This will only continue to foster their love of reading and listening--lifelong skills we all need.
The Nook is in full color, has access to thousands of children's books, and can actually read the stories to the student if needed! Plus, it features some of the newest technology out there--and what kid doesn't get "turned on" by the latest technology?
Did you know that studies have been done on the correlation between literacy rates and the number of prisons needed?
It's true--students test scores in 3rd grade are being looked at to determine how many prisons will need to be built in the future. Lower literacy rates lead to more crime and recidivism in our societies. Help students like mine avoid a bleak future. Help me purchase an e-reader to enhance the literary lives of my special learners.
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 Mrs. Moran and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.