If you ever need joy in your life then my 23 first graders would bring you just that! My students come from different backgrounds and are unique in their own ways, yet our classroom is like a family. Each child knows they can count on the person next to them, we support each other, and we work as a team.
Everything we do is centered around respect for each other.
I am not only teaching them important academic skills but I'm teaching them life skills.
If you were to take a step into our classroom you would see collaboration, kindness, hard-work, and noses in books! You would see students learning to read, write, count and add, while others may be learning letters and letter sounds and working on number sense. You would see responsibility within my students, sharing, smiles and encouraging words. You would hear laughter (because learning is FUN), partner talk, math talk and reading. You would see and hear LOTS of reading! You would see mistakes being made, and that's okay. Most of all, you would see a teacher who loves her students and 22 students who love learning.
My Project
One of the resources that has helped my students become successful readers, writers, and mathematicians is an Internet based program called Reading Eggs/Math Seeds. It is an engaging and fun way for my students to use technology and learn important reading and math skills. They love this program so much that many of them, if they have the ability to do so at home, will work through lessons even outside of the normal school day.
Having 3 iPads in my classroom will help ensure that each of my students are able to work through Reading Eggs and Math Seeds every day during both reading and math workshop.
One of the BEST things about first grade is how much they learn and grow. However, my students are on many different levels when they come to me, some ahead of where they're supposed to be but many struggling to be on reading level or have a good understanding of basic math skills. With my students using these iPads on a daily basis it will guarantee that they'll get a second dose of instruction, in addition to my small group instruction, that will meet them on their level.
Although Reading Eggs and Math Seeds would be a big way I would use the iPads, I feel as though the possibilities are endless. I'm excited to think of other ways I would be able to use them, such as research projects with an older buddy class, creating projects to demonstrate their learning, or even something as simple as recording their voices as they read to show them what their reading fluency sounds like. My students love to learn and I know they will love learning through these iPads!
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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. Bale and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.