Within our small learning community, the staff's aim is to foster high school success with a four-year graduation and seamless transition into a higher learning institution. That makes our school 'The High School With A College View.' As a Title I school, with 72% of the student body eligible for free or reduced lunch, we are always seeking resources to enhance our students' educational experience. As a member of College for Every Student (CFES), we also strive to bring leadership, mentoring, service, and educational opportunities to typically under-served student populations. Within our familial-like atmosphere, I am the only 10th grade English teacher for approximately 150 students.
As part of our collaborative effort to make each child's academic career a success, our school started a 'Student Union.' Together, the Global Studies teacher and I created a peer tutoring system that holds all involved parties accountable through tracking those that require help and those that give it. In order to create a more open, positive and non-restrictive environment, we also decided to incorporate school clubs into the Union. On Tuesdays, a staff member advises an art club where students draw, paint and create clay models. On Wednesdays, my co-teacher and I started bringing in our acoustic guitars and began hosting mini-lessons and jam sessions. Both of these activities attracted more student involvement and spilled over to an increase in peer tutoring. The problem is that there is a limited number of students with their own guitars. Even though we bring in our own instruments, the interested students outnumber the available guitars.
At this time, I am requesting the purchase of three acoustic guitars. This would be a welcomed and appreciated addition for our most-deserving students. The guitars would remain in the Union for interested students to learn from and play with. It would also serve to encourage students to become involved in the Union while fostering a sense of community amongst our students and staff.
Does music help our children learn? Yes, of course it does. Sensory integration is a crucial factor in children's learning readiness for school subjects such as reading, writing, and math. Music improves spatial-temporal reasoning (See the M.I.N.D. Institute research), a neurological process needed to understand mathematics. Not only will the purchase of the guitars add to our students’ overall academic development, but it will also foster and strengthen the students' ties to the school, their peers, and staff in a non-restrictive environment. Please help us jam out the spirit that lives within my students’ souls!
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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 Mr. P. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.