I love education. I love learning and gaining skills that can be used in the real world. It’s sad to see that much of the world does not have opportunities for getting an education. It’s doubly sad to see that right here in the USA kids are getting lousy educations. I’m sure that politicians will continue to talk about investing in education and improving our system, but the reality is that our education system has many problems and a simple silver-bullet fix is not possible. That being said, I recently came across a program that aids in one of the system’s problems: lack of resources for teachers.
Very simply, our public education system is funded by allotments of money based on how much money the taxpayers pay in that particular locale. This system leads to disparity in different communities. It also leads to some school districts without sufficient resources for kids to learn.
One program that allows for teachers to bridge the lower-income gap in some districts is “DonorsChoose.org.” Teachers who are in need of a particular classroom item(s) post the item and donors donate money to it. This lets you donate money to projects you think are a good idea . Plus, organizations help out in the funding. Bing.com, for instance, will donate $3 if you fill out a survey. I did this the other day, but you can donate according to whatever means you have. This program is a way to concretely help students right here in the United States.
My wife teaches eighth grade special education. Special education is especially hit hard when districts are already struggling to come up with the resources to distribute. This, for the simple reason that kids with mild learning disabilities require more time and tailored education. Amy’s DonorsChoose project involves getting a digital projector for her students. This will aid in better interaction and better learning. To donate to her project, click here. It is named "Make Us Equal!"
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
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3 comments:
I think it is great you are doing this. As an occupational therapist and a sibling to a brother and sister with developmental disabilities, I understand how important it is for them to have resources. I don't know why they are the first population to get slashed in the budget since they are the most under served, but they are. Did you know they are proposing cutting the schools for the deaf and the blind in Utah? Kudo's to Amy for choosing to invest her time and resources in kids with special needs.
Gold star to you and two gold stars to Amy.
I first heard about DonorsChoose through mae, who did a song a month in 2009: you paid a dollar and it was donated to a charity organization. One of those organizations was a DonorsChoose project.
Moral of the story, I love mae.
Kristen, I'm glad you have that perspective. I did not hear about those Utah proposals, but that doesn't rub me the right way. My understanding is that cuts in special education are being cut across the boards. That's why I think other non-governmental organizations are pivotal.
Renny, you are so funny and I'm glad that you've caught on. To be honest, I didn't see that coming with Mae, they surprised me with their generosity. Good for them, and thanks for helping out!
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