My students need 2 sets of scientific calculators so that they can learn spend more time learning conceptual math and spend less time doing arithmetic by hand.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Moran's classroom raised $413
This project is fully funded
My Students
Solving math problems by hand is a tedious process that elicits boredom from most kids. My sixth grade math students face this dreary task on a daily basis. This allows them little time to learn the fascinating world of how and why numbers relate to one another.
My students are bright, curious, and passionate individuals.
They see the transformative potential in education, and work so that they can attend one of the top high schools in Philadelphia. They are sent to my charter school by strong-willed parents who want their children to go on to accomplish great things.
Having said this, my students are at a decided disadvantage in relation to their peers in more affluent school districts. Sixth grade math heavily involves concepts like fractions, decimals, and percentages. Students are expected to exit the grade with a solid understanding of order of operations. While I have taught these concepts, I have had to spend most of my time teaching students how to solve these problems by hand. Doing math by hand takes a long time for me to teach and for my students to do. Quality of education should not correspond to a student's zip code.
My Project
I am requesting a class set of TI-15 scientific calculators. These calculators allow students to perform operations with fractions, parentheses, exponents, order of operations, mixed numbers, and more. In fact, almost all of the functions this calculator can perform instantly are required in sixth grade math. Instead of performing all of this math by hand, my students can compute using a calculator and I can spend more time explaining exactly what is happening when they push these buttons. Scientific calculators will help my students build a relational understanding of math - how numbers are related and why that relation exists. One reason American math education trails many other countries is our collective failure to show students what actually happens when they manipulate numbers. Imparting this knowledge to my students now will surely help them in the future as they move onto algebra and, eventually geometry and calculus.
Sixth grade is a time of change in math education.
Students move away from the familiar world of arithmetic into abstract areas like probability and algebra. Two-thirds of my students were behind grade level when they entered my classroom. This makes my task as an educator rife with potential. My kids work hard so that they are on par with their peers, despite lacking good calculators. If they can use TI-15 calculators through a donor's generosity, their math acumen will increase exponentially.
Nearly all 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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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. Moran and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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