Donorschoose.org Project!

Hey folks,

So I have been in district inservice for the past two days and I've seen all sorts of stuff. I am super excited about a few things and I'm way inspired to be a rockin awesome teacher this year. So, I've got a new project open on donorschoose.org. It is called "Recovering Lost Minutes in the Classroom". It hasn't actually posted yet on the website, but I will let you know when it does. The whole project is almost $1200 which is HUGE, but between October 8 and 15 donors choose is having a "Friends and Family Campaign" where I will give you a match code to enter and whatever amount you are able to donate it will be matched by the donors choose board of directors. This is really awesome because it means that my fabulous supporters would really only have to donate a total of less than $600 because the other half would be matched by donors choose.

I know many of you supported my last project, "Whispering Our Way to Better Reading" last fall and I am so very appreciative of that!! My class last year loved using the whisper phones during silent reading time. I haven't trained my students yet this year on how to use the appropriately, but plan to get to that soon. :)

So I'll let you know when my project is posted. But in the meantime, since you're already here I'll give you a run down of what I'm doing... I sat in a training about super cool technology with my super cool techy friend Sam. I am now super inspired to get some cool technology into my classroom. My current project is to get a iPod touch for each student in my classroom and then syncing them to all have strictly educational apps at my students levels. This will enable my kids the ability to practice important skills like pattern recognition, addition and subtraction, alphabet and phonemic awareness skills, etc. I plan to use these iPods during times when a few students have finished early or perhaps if the whole class finishes with 3 or 4 minutes to spare rather than doing a short song and dance or maybe cleaning the classroom my students would be able to pick up their iPod off the corner of their desk and play their game of choice to practice those math and literacy skills.

My project is only for 5 iPods and I have 15 kids, but I plan to purchase a few on my own between here and Christmas break so that I can hopefully get enough that kids only have to pair up rather than be in a trio. We'll see how it goes.

Again I appreciate your support in my education and in my classroom. I love you all and am so so so grateful to you!!