I have the privilege of teaching high school biology with the best students around. Unfortunately, we have a high poverty level and an even higher drop-out rate. In the last few years our school and community have received a lot of negative attention from the media for matters out of our control. Our students deserve an equal education with the same opportunities other students in our community have. By the time student reach my classroom, many have given up on our educational system. I show students that learning is more than a textbook.
Have you ever had one of those days were everything that could go wrong does? Welcome to our classroom. Our campus has experienced major computer/server/network issues this year and our biology class is at the bottom of the needs list with no help in site. We have one laptop connected to a LCD projector, sounds great right? The problem is the laptop is old and out of date, plus it’s held together by silver tape. It’s better than Vegas; you never know when it will randomly shut down, re-start or just give up all together for the day. If it does revive, it may take ten minutes or longer. I teach seven periods a day and only have 50 minutes with my students; we don’t have time to waste. We’ve tried everything from reformatting to sweet talking; it all depends on the computer’s mood for the day. My students take it all in strides. I personally feel like my wings have been clipped. A student recently told me “you can’t expect a laptop to be used eight hours a day for more than five years; it’s out-lived its life expectancy and should be put to rest”. I reminded him that teachers never give up on anyone or anything.
We recently participated in a grant and received one class set of probe ware. Due to the fragile condition of our current laptop; we’re not able to utilize the equipment. We need a portable computer with working batteries to mobilize us, allowing data collections and outside experimentation. My classroom is a box with no windows. I can’t teach my student about biology, they need to experience it. My classroom doesn’t sit still for anyone and being at the mercy of a computer is killing us. Please help!
I’m not an honors teacher; I teach the students that everyone else has given-up on. Many have never owned a computer and college is a foreign world they can’t image. By funding a laptop you will do more than provide technology to a classroom; you’re putting it in the hands of students and giving many a reason to come to school.
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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 Mrs. Andoe and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.