I have been looking for ways to have my students interact with the world around them. I want them engaging with their local community and finding ways to interact with others across the globe. When this opportunity to connect with a class in Nigeria arrived in my inbox, I knew it would fit perfectly with these goals. I didn’t want my students to miss out on this chance to be a changemaker and connect with peers across the world just because of the price. As I was looking at grant opportunities, a colleague recommended DonorsChoose. It only took a few minutes to create the application. I sent out a few emails, and my project was fully funded in less than two weeks. The minimal effort it took on my part to secure the funding was worth it so that these students can participate in this once in a lifetime project. Few of my students have left the state much less the country. They will be able to experience life on another continent while learning from and with their peers without ever leaving our classroom. On top of that, we’ll be working on our communication skills and covering content at the same time.
About Jennifer Utt
I have been teaching for 27 years, and I have been a National Board Certified Teacher for 18. I have spent the bulk of my career as a middle school Language Arts and Social Studies teacher. I am always on the lookout for new ways to engage my students and help them connect to life outside of the classroom. Unique projects and fun uses of technology help keep my Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum appealing to 7th and 8th grade students. I have found my students to be more engaged and produce higher quality work as they realize it relates to their life beyond school.
