"Money, Money, Money, Money.....MONEY!!!" Unfortunately that is what it boils down to. The lack of it makes it very difficult to keep up with the rapid pace of evolving technology. The schools seem to be more than a step behind the culture. How do we make up for the lack of funding? Can we make strides toward advancing technology in our schools? How can we stay current with the rapid pace of technological advances? Answer: We need to find alternative ways to get funding to support the education taking place in our classrooms, schools, districts, and states.
Ever since the beginning of this school year, I have been on a hunt for opportunities to write grants. Anything from $50 to $1000. Any amount helps! Asking parents and local businesses to donate supplies and laboratory materials (disposables) helps a lot, and even asking administration for some resources can't hurt either. But to be actively searching is the key. We can stare at our televisions and computer screens and watch as the state of education continues to spiral downward, or we can get up from behind the newspaper and look for any opportunity to help fund field trips and other richly engaging activities that are sure to pique the interests of our students. As long as we continue to do what ever we can to improve our schools, we are on the right track.
Our individual voice may not be loud enough for America to hear, but a joint effort, along with fellow colleagues, parents, students, and administrators can make a loud statement that is sure to be heard. I am not much of a political activist, but I know that there are efforts being made to increase the amount of funding our schools get. Here in California, where the budget seems to be in limbo every year, there are propositions on the ballot that can help fund education. I know there are two-sides to every story, but I encourage educators to become familiar with these propositions and serve our country by participating in the democratic process. One of the goals we have for our students is to be able to make informed decisions about the future of our country. What better way to model this than by doing the very thing we encourage our students to do?
Julius,
ReplyDeleteI understand and can relate to your concerns as it relates to financing experiments and instructional activities. As a teacher of a Title One school, asking for financial assistance from parents is usually futile, as many of them have little to no money.
Does your system assign individual books to students? My system does not, only allowing for classroom sets for use. Students must take notes. This is explained by administration as an effort to save money and encourage high order inquiry instruction, as opposed to book work.
Several years ago, I wrote a grant for materials to investigate materials in a local stream. I found information for grants on http://www.k12grants.org/grant_opps.htm. You may be able to find something there. :)