Donors Choose

[filkertom]

Here's a fascinating little project: Donors Choose. Teachers suggest projects for their classrooms, you pick which you'd like to donate to, your donation goes directly to that project, you get thanks and other feedback directly from the students you benefit.

There are a number of educators here -- what kinds of projects would you like/do you need some extra funding for?

(h/t Tomato Nation, by way of First Draft)

Comments

[mimiheart.livejournal.com]

This is great. I'm a teacher at a private religious school. I'd like to be able to shove my students' cell phones down their throats. I had a girl last week toss her cell phone off the top of the stairs on two the concrete below. When I asked her what she was doing, she said, "I'm trying to break my phone." I asked her why. "So my parents will get me a new one." She was completely serious, and this is NOT an unusual thing. Yet, when we need things like construction paper or glue, there's never any funding. I tend to buy that out of pocket.

I have one student who sits in my class and says he's hungry all the time, he absolutely will not do his work if he hasn't eaten (this is my special needs class). When I mentioned it to the head of school (which is what we call the principal), I was told that we couldn't make the parents feed him, and to bring him a snack. And because I can't bring snacks for just ONE kid, snacks for the class. That's cheap. I don't mind kids eating in class. I don't mind it if their parents send them with food. I DO mind it if I have to buy food for the whole bunch. They don't pay me enough.

[greenlantern-oa.livejournal.com]

You could do what my wife does (also works at a private religious school and I am a teacher in a public school).
Each parent in her class has a week they supply snacks for the class. I have never heard a story where the parents complain, as in the long run it's cheaper for everyone this way.
As for not feeding their kids, I don't know what city or state you live in, but I have reported things like this to a social worker and ....well, let's say it sorts itself out. ;)

[mimiheart.livejournal.com]

The kid just doesn't like the school lunches, and the parents refuse to pack him one. So I can't imagine what could be reported. They're giving him food, he just won't eat it. (He's not wasting away by any means.)

I asked the head of school about parents bringing in snack. He said that that's for lower grades, and they wouldn't do it after fourth.

[baphnedia.livejournal.com]

What a coincidence...

I just recognized the folks who I weekly subjugate to what amounts to a personal newsletter for raising $1,000 to something I spoke about months ago - without any influence or assistance from me.