Dan Reisen, an elementary school teacher South Haven Elementary School, recently did a really cool deed for the kids in his classroom. He brought in Kindle Fires. Why would he do this?
“I love technology,” Reisen said. “I was thinking that it would be cool if each of my students had access to new technology that they could use for learning. Before they had to take turns using our classroom computer to take Accelerated Reading tests. Now each student will be able to use a Kindle to read, take tests and quizzes, play educational games, and more!”
Reisen came up with the idea to raise funds for the Kindles after reading an article that another teacher wrote about raising money through DonorsChoose.org.
DonorsChoose.org was created by Charles Best, a teacher from a high school in the Bronx. He came up with the idea so that teachers can get funding for classroom supplies and projects so they don’t have to spend their own money, which they often do. Word spread thanks to popular people like Oprah and Stephen Colbert, and now teachers can get the resources that they need to positively impact their students’ educations.
Reisen started a fundraising page and shared it with family and friends. Donations started coming in, and then random donors began to give.
“Within three or four days we raised $1,500,” Reisen said. “The parents of my students got really excited. I wasn’t expecting this reaction.”
One parent donated styluses for the kids to use with the Kindles, another donated a Kindle that they were no longer using, another donated screen protectors, and others gave monetarily.
Reisen is beyond happy. His students can now use the Kindle Fires to achieve their reading goals and a lot more. Reisen downloaded educational apps that the kids can use like games that help with math and English skills, he’ll have them take the devices outside and take pictures and video for science projects, or they can simply read a book. Reisen also uses the devices to communicate to parents through ClassDojo, a sort of social media site that teachers can use to interact with parents and students.
“The kids are pumped,” Reisen said. “Right now we have seven of them here. The rest will be here soon when Amazon gets them back in stock. These Kindle Fires are quite popular.”
Reisen met his fundraising goal and his students will have almost enough Kindle Fires to use in the classroom (there are 27 students in his class and 25 Kindle Fires as of right now), but these pieces of equipment must stay safe so that students in Reisen’s future classes can use them. He started another initiative on Donorschoose.org to raise $814 to get two more Kindle Fires, Smartshell cases for each one, and a charging station.
“We keep track of what we use the Kindles for so that people can see that their donations went to a good cause, and we’re writing Thank You notes to every person who donated,” Reisen said. “I can’t believe how generous everyone has been. The kids are going to be so happy.”
If you want to know more or to make a donation to Reisen’s next endeavor for his classroom click here!