My students are ninth to twelfth graders in a public charter school (middle college) in upstate South Carolina.
Our major method of learning is through the project-based concept, where students learn by creating and designing projects centered around topics they're interested in.
Students engage in learning through hands-on experiences with authentic resources.
For example, in our last film class, students created music videos, short films adapted from literary sources, and original short films. They each assumed a role (i.e. director, production designer, actor, editor, videographer) and worked together to publish the videos to YouTube.
In English class, students complete self-selected research projects where the teacher serves as a facilitator and coach, working with students in one-on-one and small-group settings.
In Contemporary Literature, students create book clubs and hold analytical discussions of texts. They also write to their favorite authors and often receive fun responses!
The goal of this instructional method is to make learning authentic and purposeful. I truly believe that students learn best when they have choice and autonomy while completing rigorous tasks.
My Project
I'm requesting a horseshoe-shaped activity table and active stools that students can gather around and sit on with an instructor or student leader in the center for directed instruction and discussion.
The activity table and five stools will enable collaboration and targeted instruction.
The stools are space savers as well as new seating options for my classroom.
Currently, students sit two or three to a table facing the board, but the format of the tables does not allow for easy instructor access to students, especially groups of students. With this table and stools, I will be able to group students by instructional need and invite them to the table for short conferences.
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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. Schonhar and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
