The Living Room Effect - Creating a Comfortable Classroom
My students need 9 lap desks, a pack of highlighters, and 6 seat cushions to make their laptop and classroom experience more comfortable which translates to a positive classroom environment.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Katz's classroom raised $375
This project is fully funded
My Students
My students love their laptops and are more engaged when an activity can be driven by them at their own pace. I've come to realize as a teacher that more work gets done in the classroom than at home... Studies indicate that high-quality classroom environments help children feel valued and engaged
The students at The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush love school.
They love learning and demonstrating their knowledge and skills through the arts.
Our special admissions school is based on the belief that the arts provide an unequaled opportunity to foster intellectual growth by connecting arts and literacy. Visual and media literacy skills enhanced through technology permeate all subjects. Reflective teaching and learning is expected in every classroom with an emphasis on building a community of learners to be thinkers and creators preparing for careers that haven't even been created yet. Our school prepares students to be participating members of a democratic society by engaging them as stakeholders in their education and community experience that comes with high school. The spirit of intellectual curiosity is encouraged in and through the arts.
My Project
Classrooms are constricting, the desks are uncomfortable and like prison, students are escorted from cell to cell at the sound of a bell. Our school is different... our hallways don't just connect the classroom... it is the classroom.
My students spread out, collaborate, plug-in, stretch and do a whole lot of excellent meaningful work on the floor with their laptops.
The lap desks and cushions will make what is already an institution in our school (the hallway)... even more engaging and comfortable.
Not only will the lap desks make working with the computers a bit more comfortable... it will also protect the laptops from damage. The cushions will help the students to settle in and get to work.
Do the environments teachers create in their classrooms have an impact on their students’ ability to learn?
The research says YES they can.
According to Dr. Sheryl Reinisch, director of Early Childhood Education Programs at Concordia University, studies indicate that high-quality classroom environments “help children feel safe, secure, and valued. As a result, self-esteem increases and students are motivated to engage in the learning process.”
Comfortable students... are more engaged.
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
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Katz and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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