Getting Money for Technology

 

Many teachers may want to create a classroom filled with technology but find themselves limited due to lack of funding. One great way to get a wish list of items into your classrooms is Donors Choose. Donors choose is an online charity where public school teachers post classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org. Requests can range from things as simple as stationary for a letter-writing unit to instruments for a school band to listening centers and beyond.

 

Many teachers in my school have had projects funded through Donors Choose. One Teacher has a listening center which helped her students who were struggling with getting through independent reading time. Another received a fully stocked art center, including rolls of butcher paper, paint, stencils, glue, collage materials and an easel.  A third recieved  a full leveled library which allowed her children to frequently book shop for new books.

 

Receiving donors choose items is exciting not only for you, the classroom teacher, but for your students as well. When that box arrives it feels like Christmas morning. The experience of donors choose is also a great way for your children to see the positive generosity of people who want to see our children succeed and are willing to give unselfishly to a group of children that they have and may never meet. Once your project is funded writing thank you notes from each of your students allows them the opportunity to practice their writing skills, and is also a great time to integrate some technology into your classroom. One idea might be to have your children Skype (http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home) with the person who funded their project or even take some digital footage of the children using the materials and email the video to the individual/s who helped to fund your wish!

 

 

 

Another way to get technology for your classroom can be through the process of grant writing. A great resource, with information on grant writing for teachers can be found here.