Our Focus is on Learning

We currently have 24 students in our small classroom.  Our wonderful students come from an array of backgrounds that enrich our classroom.  When we have testing or independent work, it is very challenging to have all students focus on their task.  Our close proximity makes it difficult to do testing without distractions.  Some of our students need to read aloud every problem or question. Even though it helps our auditory learners comprehend their questions, this distracts many of their neighbors who cannot concentrate on their work.  Since we are unable to access more space, our next best thing is to get whisper phones and study carrels.

Whisper phones come in handy for our auditory and language learners. They are able to talk into the phone at a lower volume and still get the auditory feedback they need to understand their questions.  Students around them are not distracted by the reading that is happening.  The whisper phones are also a great tool in our small reading groups -- they help students listen to themselves read automatically.  It helps them increase their text comprehension as well as helping them monitor their reading fluency.  These low tech phones are great in large and small groups.

The second product we are requesting are study carrels.  Our visual learning students need a neutral space where they can concentrate on their assessments. These students are often distracted by what is happening around them. The neutral space will help them focus their attention on their current tasks. Study carrels also give each student a more private place to work. I have seen these study carrels work for students in the past. The number of students who are more focused on their assessment increase with the introduction of study carrels. Students are more likely to take their time if they are unaware of others finishing up their task. Rather than worry about being the last to finish, they are completing things at their own pace.

With our whisper phones and study carrels, our class can keep the focusing on our learning. I expect great things from these focused and hardworking students. Please consider giving to our campaign. Requesting $225 plus cost reimbursement.