Review of the three Donors Choose Applications

Put a Little Love In Your HeART: The first thing this Donors Choose accomplished is a catchy title that gives an overview of the request. This teacher utilized a common phrase and emphasized the last three letters of the word heart to get her point across. The fact that this Donors Choose page was created to continue integrating art in the classroom caught my attention immediately. However, as I read her explanation I was not completely sure what she was going to use the requested materials for. The descriptions should be brief, but they need to be clear. She wrote four short sentences about visual art and portfolios, but I wish it included how the materials she requested would help her accomplish her goals for her class. The picture she included of her kids is adorable, however, it would have been more effective to include a picture of her students participating in art, building their portfolios, or a picture of their artwork being displayed.

Let's get Jiggly with Tiggly!: The first thing I noticed about this Donors Choose page is the lack of editing in the section titled "My Students"; there are a few run-on sentences and sentences that could have been worded differently to make the point clearer. The way it is written was extremely distracting, so I don't think I gained an accurate representation of her students. The section titled "My Project" is more effective in describing the purpose. The teacher clearly explained what Tiggly is and how students learn from it. She describes Tiggly toys as a way to "expand digital apps into the real world and help children stretch their imagination and learning potential." I was at first confused by "expand digital apps into the real world" because it will only be utilized in the classroom, not in their "real world" or lives outside of the classroom. I think she was meaning to say that Tiggly toys and Tiggly apps help extend student learning, specifically with literacy, in the classroom in ways that are more engaging and interactive. The people reading Donors Choose pages do not want to search for the meaning or purpose of the request, so as an audience member I learned how necessary it is to include a clear description of the tools and HOW they will be used in the classroom to improve learning. 

Osmo! Osmo! Let's Explore!: This teacher did an amazing job describing her students and their needs. She did not simply check the box that says "more than half of students come from low-income households", she described how it effects their learning. She explained that her students are learning in two languages and each student is at a different level/stage of learning. Knowing what Osmo is before I read this page, I could already see the endless implications for these bilingual students, such as utilizing Osmo in centers to differentiate based on levels and needs. Her description of her project was short and sweet. She listed each thing she was requesting, briefly described their purpose, and stated how she would use them across content areas. Requesting items that can be used in a variety of content areas grabbed my attention/interest even more. I would rather fund a project that is beneficial throughout a students entire day, than funding a project that can only be used 10-15 minutes a day. She also included an extremely cute picture of her class which makes it harder to resist. 

So the three pages that I chose to review revolve around adding technology into the classroom to enhance the learning of the students. all three pages do a good job of telling me about there students and then telling me why they need the iPad or MacBook or stuff like that. I do think these ideas are a little bland they say they want a piece of technology but they don't expand a lot on what they will do with it. 

"Making Spanish Learning Engaging & Effective": 

In this first post, the teacher is asking for "language-rich books" and hands-on tools that can be beneficial for her students when it comes to learning Spanish. What I enjoyed about this post is that this teacher did a great job in explaining her students. Through the amount of details that she gave, I felt like I was in this classroom. She talks about how eager her students are when it comes to learning Spanish. She also did a great job explaining why it is important to learn a new language and this gives people more information about the benefits of learning a language before they donate to her cause. She also does a great job explaining how all of these tools will be used in her classroom. For example she states that the alphabet tubs will help her students understand the Spanish alphabet. Once they master the alphabet, they will do certain activities that will let them practice and get a better understanding of the Spanish language. I learned how essential it is to talk about how it will benefit your students. She does a great job explaining the importance of these items and how they will impact her students. I think this teacher did a great job in trying to explain the importance of these items that she is asking for. 

Exploring "El Mundo Hispanohablante"

For this post, the teacher is asking for magazines in the Spanish language that can help her students improve their Spanish language abilities. This involves their writing, reading, listening and speaking ability. One thing that this teacher does great in her post is that she describes her students in as many details as she can. She lets the audience know what kind of hardships that these students go through since a lot of her students "come from low-income, hard-working families doing what they can to thrive". She also talks about their diverse personalities and she makes the audience feel like they know the students. She does a great job in explaining that she is requesting Scholastic Spanish magazines and how it will not only help them develop stronger Spanish skills but it will also let them understand culture more and want to explore these topics. I can see how it would help them develop stronger reading skills in Spanish, but I think she should elaborate how it would benefit listening, writing, and speaking abilities. I think she could go more in depth about how she will let them express themselves using these magazines. She can possibly give some examples of some activities that they could do with them. She can also keep her title in Spanish but I think that she could also translate it into English for the members of the audience who do not know Spanish. Overall, I think she does a great job in explaining her students and why she needs these certain items.

 "Building Language Literacy"

In this last post, the teacher is asking for books in both English and Spanish to let her students to practice their reading skills. She wants books that will help English Language Learners to be able to get closer to reading fluently in English. I think she does a good job in describing how many of her students are new to the United States but I think that she can provide more detail about the diversity within her class so that the audience can get a better feel about the environment within her classroom. She does a good job in explaining the reasons as to why she is asking for Spanish and English books. The English books will help them with their fluency in the English language while the Spanish books will help guide them as they start to transition into English books. She also describes that students need to "feel confident and interested in what they choose to read" so that they can develop a passion for reading. She describes how she aims to make her "instruction fun, collaborative, and enriching". I think she can provide more details about how she tries to achieve these certain elements so that the audience can see how these books can help her achieve her goal. I think that she could add details about what kind of activities they are going to do with these books that will help her students build their English vocabulary and develop their reading skills. I think she needs to provide more details so that the audience can understand what exactly she will use these materials before they decided if they would like to donate or not. I believe that these books would be very useful in her class; I just think she could provide more details to captivate her audience into donating to her cause. 

I looked at 3 donors choose pages. The first page was about iPads for english language students, the second was about flexible seating, and the third was about getting a fish and reptile aquarium for the students to conduct science experiments.

1: iPads for ESOL: I really liked this donor's choose page. He did well explaining why he wants iPads in the classroom, to help teach English language learning students. He also explains that the students come from low-income homes and iPads will be able to help him connect students with reading, writing, and speaking english and collaborating with eachother. He also mentioned a specific lesson students will be using the iPads for: "We will use these iPads for writing words, sentences, paragraphs, and eventually five paragraph essays." I like this donor's choose because its simple and explains the need for the technology in the class as well as exactly what it would be used for.

2: Arts Integrated Classroom in Need of Flexible Seating: This  donor's choose page was average I would say. This one covered flexible seating. There are a lot of pages on flexible seating and this one really didn't do anything to stand above the rest. There was also a typo where the author said "chose" instead of "choose." She explained what the flexible seating would be used for which was good.

3: "Creature" Comforts in the Classroom: The main issue I had with this page was the teacher/author here didn't use people first language when talking about her students, which may really displease possible donors. The idea is really good though, other than that I liked this one. Personally, I probably wouldn't donate just because of the missing use of people first language.

Overall, of the three, I would only donate to the iPad page. The flexible seating doesn't do enough to stand above the other flexible seating pages, but it does a good job of showing their need. The animal habitat page is for a classroom full of students with disabilities, but the author doesn't use people first language which we have learned is extremely important.

The first Donors Choose project I looked into was a teacher hoping to obtain reading, mathematics, and writing manipulatives for her 7th grade Special Education classroom. I thing I think she did well was help the reader make a connection with the students in her classroom. She writes about her desire to help her students succeed and feel safe in class. One thing she could improve on is her explanation of the products she wants to invest in. She only gave a description of two products on her list. Her title is "More Than Just Manipulatives", but doesn't make that connection in her write up. I did learn what she wants to do with some of the products, and I think that she has some good ideas for them.
Donors Choose #2 is an elementary teacher in charge of a leadership fitness club. Her justification of wanting the mats is a good one. Student's shouldn't have to do exercises outside on wet grass or rough concrete. That was probably the best thing she did in the project write up. The one thing that I didn't like (this is a small, personal dislike) is that she wrote about how she worked with kindergarten through fifth grade, but she labeled the project as PreK-2. If one is going to ask others for money to help their students, they should do their best to make sure all of their information matches up.
The last Donors Choose project I reviewed was from a teacher here in Norman. She is looking for funds to simply fund the basics in her classroom- binder clips, sharpies, extra snacks, etc. One thing she did well was explain why the basics are so necessary for her classroom. I learned about what was important to her and her students. One thing I didn't enjoy about this particular one, was some of the things seemed unnecessary for the students' success--since that is what she focused it on was the students. 

Music Center Mania!:
In this request, the teacher is asking for materials for music centers. The teacher discusses needing bean bags, ping pong balls, or play dough. Overall, I thought this was a great idea because the teacher requested items that were inexpensive to create music. The teacher only needs $170, which seems pretty reasonable for music. However, in order to make this project stand out I think the teacher could have provided more details about how the students will benefit from this. 

Start Building Our Education with a Bang:
In this request, the teacher discusses needing dry erase boards and stools for flexible seating. I thought the teacher did a good job with describing her students and school district. She mentions that she is a first year teacher and that she teaches in a low-income school in Oklahoma City. I think this connects to the audience because many people want to support new teachers especially those in a higher demand school district. However, the teacher could have discussed how the dry erase boards contribute to the students learning because she really only focuses on the stools. 

Guided Inquiry Project:
In this request, the teacher is asking for iPads to use in her classroom. She discusses in great detail how the students are from low-income households. She mentions that the district only uses Apple products so the Chromebooks they have will be terminated. I think the teacher has a great idea of incorporating technology in the classroom, but I do not know how realistic this project is. She also mentions that the school has a few MacBooks so I feel like most people would not donate since she is asking for almost $2,500. In order to improve this post, the teacher needs to set realistic goals and lower the amount of iPads needed.

Title 1 School Teacher in Need of Help              
  I felt that this teacher did a great job at describing her students and giving readers an insight to their background and where they come from. She also mentions that she is trying to give her students a “safe space” and that was something that really drew me in. I know the importance of providing a safe space for the children where they can feel comfortable and confident but also learn.              
  There were a few spelling errors throughout the description, which can be off putting for some readers, and the title of the page isn’t direct enough. I also felt that she could include a bit more research-based material as to why she needs hands-on materials.  

Dramatic Play              
  Again, this teacher did well at describing her students’ backgrounds, as well as the background of her school which I appreciated. I also liked that she included why early childhood education is so important and that we should be investing more into it overall and her classroom.      
   As I said for the previous Donors Choose page, providing more research would probably help their purpose. Many people don’t recognize the importance of dramatic play, and even by providing a link to a credited source or article would give the page more credibility.  

Early Childhood Tables              
  I respect this teacher’s need for smaller tables. I liked that she allowed us to imagine her young students having a hard time reaching for things on the tables because they are too big. However, I understand how important child-sized furniture is for the students’ confidence and comfort, but many others do not. I think she should have gone a bit more in depth as to why she needs new tables for her class. Other people may not understand the importance.

Tablets for Spanish:

Pros:
First of all what I really like about this application is the attitude of the teacher towards her students calling them “the best students”. She tries not only to write about what the school does not have, but also what is offered already. I really like the positive attitude towards her job. Furthermore, she tries to support her student’s wishes with this project as they like to be creative. She is totally right about the advantages she mentions for language learning with modern technologies.  

Cons:
She could have explained in a bit more detail why tablets are the best option in comparison to cameras for example. She could have emphasized the option of using different apps to edit the videos.

Joy of reading:

Pros:
Again I like the positive attitude of the teacher towards her students. She does not point out the weaknesses but the goal: “foster a love of reading” . The Kindles expands the students’ freedom of choice as there is an unlimited number of books available. She also argues why this is better than normal books since different students can read the same book at the same time. She also proves that Kindles have already improved the number of books that were read by the students.

Cons:
Can every student take the Kindle home? Because she speaks of reading at any time and any place. However, it must be considered that students might forget the Kindle at home, which then makes it difficult to work with them in class .

Photography:

Pros:
What I really like about this application is the fact that it focuses on students’ interest outside the classroom. It is about students that work for the school yearbook and therefore supports students’ engagement outside the classroom, which I really like. I think that it is very important for students to also develop interests outside the classroom. This project is a way of supporting this development.  

Cons:
She could have stressed the abilities and interests of the students that are supported through this project rather than talking about the quality of the pictures in the yearbook. With such a camera students can improve their photography skills and deepen their interest.

One thing that the “Read, Read Read” application did well was describe the atmosphere of her classroom.  By citing the diversity of her classroom (about 30% of her class is made up of special education students, who struggle with “severe emotional needs” and academics) while also expressing support for each of them, she makes me want to support her.  She explains that she loves how each of her students, regardless of their intellectual or behavioral capabilities.  She also explains why she needs each of the items that she is requesting funding for.  However, one thing I wish she did better was explain what each of the items that she plans on purchasing is.  She explains that she needs to purchase a “kidney table” for reading instruction, and plans on buying a “Flaghouse Sensory Play Set” for her special education students, but I do not know what these items are or how they would benefit her students.  This would be one thing that she can improve upon in her application.   
The “Back to Basics with Math Toolboxes” application was very effective in describing the financial struggles of her classroom.  She explains that her school is in a rural, low-income neighborhood, and that “a considerable portion of the children [are] of native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Island ancestry.”  She does not want economics to be the deciding factor of whether or not her students will succeed in school.  She also does really well in describing her personal teaching philosophy, and that through hands-on activities and mathematics discourse, her students would “positively increase their engagement during whole-group and small-group instruction.”  This gives me a better idea of what type of a teacher she is.  I would have preferred if she gave information on what exactly was in the math toolboxes, and how specifically they would be used in instruction.  She talks a lot about discussion, but not enough about how the toolboxes themselves would have been beneficial in her classroom.  
The third application, “Guided Inquiry Project,” explained the financial necessity of her classroom.  She detailed how her school district transitioned to an Apple-only policy, which got rid of the Chromebooks she had, which in turn made instruction much more challenging for her.  She also did well in explaining why she needed the iPads to improve her instruction in class, detailing the data-driven lesson plans and how it would help to enforce the type of instruction she is pursuing in her classroom.  However, she failed to describe her students in a captivating and meaningful manner.  She uses buzzwords and phrases like “economic status” and “having a safe environment in the classroom is a must,” and I by no means intend to make light of those situations.  They are important factors and should definitely be taken into consideration.  That being said, I do feel like she didn’t do well enough in describing her students as people, rather than a characteristic. 

Yoga for Early Childhood Development

   In this request, the teacher spoke very eloquently about the inner-workings of her early childhood classroom and what use yoga mats would hold in her classroom. She touched on the diversity within a kindergarten classroom as far as development. This included an example of some students being ready to read and write while other students are just learning to hold a paintbrush. She noted that while all students may be varying in development, all of them seek the opportunity to move. The portion of her request that I liked the most was her specific reasoning for requesting the yoga mats. The teacher wrote that yoga mats would be a much better alternative than the bath towels that the students had used last year. These towels were a safety issue on the gym floor and had to be washed and dried by the teacher at her own home. I thought this was an important piece to include in the request.
    In early childhood, self-regulation and mindfulness are vital in all aspects of development. There are countless studies that show the benefits of young children engaging in yoga to assist their cognitive and emotional needs. I feel that incorporating a bit of research on this topic or some information on how beneficial yoga is for young children, the teacher could possibly gain even more support to fund the yoga mats. By simply listing yoga as a PE requirement fulfillment, she teacher loses an opportunity to explain the true benefits of yoga in early childhood.

Unstructured Play for Healthy Early Childhood Development 

 In this donors choose request, the teacher is asking for dramatic play materials for her low-income pre-k students. I love the teacher’s inclusion of quotations of the students like, “I want to be a doctor!”, and “I want to be a veterinarian!” For these students who come from low-income households, this teacher wants to encourage these dreams and allow his/her students to achieve these goals on their own. The support from this teacher for their students is what makes this request feel sincere and genuine. The teacher notes her students’ curiosity, resourcefulness, and their ever-growing development that must be supported by the classroom environment. In early childhood classrooms, the dramatic play area is where a massive amount of development occurs. I love seeing requests to improve this center to promote development through play.  
  I found the title of this request to be slightly misleading. While the request is for materials to improve a dramatic play center, the title makes it seem as though it’s asking for a difference in maybe an outside play area. In early childhood, dramatic play is critical in social-emotional, literacy, language, and physical development. I feel that by noting these benefits of a rich dramatic play center, the true need of improved materials would be more clear. 

The Building Blocks of Early Childhood  
   
This request is excellently worded and written. I loved the teacher’s in-depth explanations of Maria Montessori’s practices and how she seeks to implement this in her classroom. In early childhood, Montessori practices are used in nearly every classroom. This approach focuses on teaching the “whole child”, and this teacher made this point perfectly explained and announced. By including quotations from Montessori herself, explaining the focus on reality before play, and promoting learning in her classroom through imagination and creativity is what makes this request so strong. It is evident throughout the request that this educator cares deeply about her students while being passionate about her practice.    
Building blocks serve as an excellent element in gross and fine motor development. By including a piece about this, the need for building blocks may be made more relevant. Additionally, blocks come in a wide array of materials, sizes, and weights. In Montessori practice, there is an emphasis on using natural materials in the environment. By specifying the type of blocks being purchased, such as wooden blocks (a Montessori preference), the teacher could have further solidified her commitment to Montessori practices by specifically purchasing natural blocks with the donations.

The teachers I chose to review all had great projects that I believe in and also had great reasoning behind their need.  Good Donors Choose Applications are relatable with a clear sense of need and a focus on playing on people’s heartstrings.  One of my favorite applications was from the first year teacher’s who just needed stuff in their class because they are given so little.  I think by having a request that seems so reasonable really helps inspire people to give because the request seems so insignificant to us, but will help out the teacher immensely.  
The Donors Choose applications that I didn’t care for didn’t seem to really need what they were asking for, OR what they were asking for didn’t align with their need.  For example I saw a teacher who wanted 1300 for yoga supplies for their STEM projects.  These things seemed unrelated and incredibly expensive.  So another aspect of “good” donors choose applications are that they have an approachable price point.
I’m looking forward to creating some donors choose because they will really help me fill my classroom with essential tools and supplies that I don’t have to buy.  I don’t like that the item is supposed to stay in the classroom after I leave, because chances are I’ll need the item again in my new classroom and people might not want to donate to me for the same item multiple times.  I can’t honestly say I’m going to follow that rule unless I knew for a fact that a new classroom had the item in question like a light table.  I won’t be dishonest, and I won’t “steal” anything, but if I think that if I find something very useful I’ll be taking it from class to class.