Sorry, There Aren't Enough.

My Students

Have you ever seen a bright student shut down because fractions make them feel stupid? Quite often my students feel that they aren't as smart as all the other "normal" students because they can't do certain things the way others do. All they need are the right tools and the confidence!

My students hail from the toughest neighborhoods in New York.

They've seen more than I have but they still manage to live their lives everyday in hopes of something better. They want to succeed, they want to graduate and one day support their families. But above all that, they're vivacious. Everyday they make me laugh, everyday I am in awe of their raw emotions, their clever quips and their random dances and jokes. My self-contained special education math class is alive and kicking and they just want to succeed in school. They want to graduate and they want to pass their state math exam! They come into the class with their baggage everyday but I fight with them to make sure that their baggage doesn't weigh them down. I tell them that education will be their way out and they believe me. And I believe that given the right resources and hope, my students will not only survive their lives but they will thrive and keep me laughing and proud throughout the years.

My Project

My students need calculators because sometimes their brains don't work as efficiently or as consistently as they need to. I am always honest with my students about their disabilities so I choose to equip them instead of give up on them. If my students can't add fractions, it's okay! The calculators can do that for them! If finding a common denominator makes my students want to bang their heads on the table, I tell them that the calculator will do it for them! I teach a math test prep class and the entire course is geared toward my students passing their state exams. I've seen that with the help of (borrowed) calculators, my students are more confident and more accurate! Calculators don't solve my students' problem but they certainly do help them figure their way around a math problem.

As a special education teacher, I've seen that my students do not get the resources that they deserve and need.

They don't get calculators, their own classrooms, textbooks, etc. Instead of getting mad I am trying to be proactive. I am trying to get others to see that 8 mere calculators will impact my students significantly. They will help them pass their tests and ultimately, they will tell my students that they deserve to have what the "regular" kids have.