Source URL:
Details about the site:
DonorsChoose is an online charity organization for K-12 public school teachers in the United States. Teachers are able to post classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org, and people can give any amount of money to the project. When a project is funded, the materials are shipped to the school. After a project is funded, the teacher has the responsibility to take photos of their new materials being used in the classroom, and have the students write thank you letters for the donors. If a project expires without being fully funded, the donors get their donations returned as account credits. According to DonorsChoose.org, 70% of the projects posted on the site are successfully funded. Fortunately, the site is also completely free for teachers to register and use.
Educational Uses:
DonorsChoose is a tool for teachers to use, that can have a benefit for student learning. Many teachers request materials like manipulatives, dry erase boards, books, tablets, document cameras, and even furniture like bookcases and tables for the classroom. There are also teachers who request funding for field trips.
Content Standards:
There aren’t any specific content standards that go with this website, since it is a charity for teachers to use to fund classroom projects.
Assessment Tools:
There aren’t any specific assessment tools that go with this website, since it is a charity for teachers to use to fund classroom projects.
Value/Merit of Tool:
I think this is a great tool for teachers to use to get materials for their classrooms, and it would be particularly useful for beginning teachers who may not have a lot of materials when they first start teaching. I was able to see my cooperating teacher in student teaching use DonorsChoose to successfully fund two classroom projects. He was able to get a project funded to receive a horseshoe-shaped table and chairs for use with guided reading and other small group instruction. He also recently got a project fully funded for an iPad Air for the classroom. One of the benefits of using DonorsChoose that he shared with me is during the first week the project is posted, DonorsChoose will match donoation (up to $100.00) if the donor uses the code INSPIRE upon checkout.
Screenshots created by Olivia Johnson from:
See what great teachers need for their students. (n.d.). DonorsChoose.org. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://www.donorschoose.org