I have a curious set of diverse students who are eager to learn and explore new topics. Unfortunately, disengagement has become something of a common denominator across our school district over the last few years, and more than half of students in our school are from low-income families. We have found that starting as early as elementary school, it has become increasingly difficult to get children to school on a regular basis. Many of my students are attending less than 85% of school days. In spite of this, the students' energy inspires me to create meaningful and memorable lessons across the curriculum.
The activities that we complete, both in and out of the classroom, are also greatly restricted by the socioeconomic makeup of our student body as well as the absence of a budget for technology in our 5th grade classroom.
We are all educating our children to succeed in a world where technology drives critical thinking, creativity, instruction, and collaboration. As teachers, we can prepare students for jobs that have yet to be invented. The students themselves are very willing to work in school and take the opportunity to utilize the limited resources that are available.
My Project
My students would greatly benefit from the use of new Chromebooks for the classroom. With this technology, the students will employ a variety of software options including PowerPoint to tell a creative fictional or personal story. History can easily be told using this technique as the students make certain set of events in history come alive in the present using digital storytelling. Similarly, studies of faraway lands and their people can be brought into the classroom this way as well. This will enliven the topic for the learners as they are participating in both the story construction and in viewing the story being told by their peers.
This digital way of learning will be highly effective in teaching topics that may otherwise be of low interest to students.
For this particular assignment, we are planning on taking an explorer and telling their story as if they were living and experiencing the events first-hand.
Students can create a digital portfolio of their work on the Chromebooks. They would be able to share their projects on Google Classroom and can reply and leave comments about the stories they have seen. As a fifth grade teacher, I am always looking for a creative way for my students to write and share their ideas. This would definitely keep students motivated and engaged throughout the creative process.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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