Say Cheese! Our Class Year in Pictures/Powerpoint.

My Students

"Hey, Mrs. Thompson! Take my picture!". Exclamations like these are frequent in our busy, fourth grade classroom. Students love to see themselves and their classmates "in action". Few of the students in my classes have access to cameras in their homes, and have few pictures of themselves.

Our school has approximately 550 students enrolled each year.

The school is over 50 years old. You'll find us in rural Alabama where most employment is either agricultural or military. Our students are mainly from low-income homes. The majority of students are eligible for free and reduced lunches. Many of these students have little background knowledge upon which to build. Vacation experiences are few and far between. Reading at home may not be routine. Many of the students live with only one parent, or are being raised in the homes of relatives. Students are eager to document their experiences at school, and have been delighted when their teacher takes and provides photographs for them to keep/share. Through the years, I've tried to take numerous classroom pictures to share with students. This year, with the addition of new technology in our classroom, I hope to further this endeavor with a photography journal of the year. Print and Powerpoint will be used to share this.

My Project

Watching a child look at a picture of themselves while they are working, reading, playing, and/or creating provides a glimpse into how important self-image is to developing minds. Having a classroom digital camera will allow students to be not only subject for the camera, but photographers, editors, printers, and Powerpoint producers. Photography will reinforce reading, language arts, math, social studies, science, technology, and oratory skills. The camera will open a world of new opportunities for students with few advantages in life.

Education in its truest sense is exploring.

The digital camera will provide the means for each student to explore their classroom, their school, and community. If you listen, you might just hear them saying, "Take my picture!", too.