With these funds I will be able to create a classroom that encourages enthusiasm and determination for math. I will have about 150 students that will have limited access to the materials needed to succeed in our middle school. With these funds I will be able to provide my students with a math journal, pencils, erasers and a classroom set of calculators. These funds will also give me the opportunity to buy other resources for my students such as manipulatives (counters, counting blocks, tiles, etc.), math posters, a classroom set of interactive white boards, etc.

To get an idea of who my incoming students will be, know that my school serves a largely Latinx population and many of my students will be coming from a low-income community. Last year, Oklahoma ranked 47th in the nation on educational quality. Studies have shown that by 8th grade, while white students are scoring at 43% proficient in math, only 19% of Latinx studies are scoring proficient in math. This can be due to linguistic barriers, financial barriers (resources are not readily accessible as they would be in other "high achieving" schools), and/or cultural barriers (many students are not exposed to the possible opportunities surrounding them because many of their family members may not have pursued secondary or post-secondary education).

As a Latina Math teacher who is first generation and comes from a low-income background, I want to do whatever I can to make sure my students are being given the best mathematical resources in order to set them up for success. I plan to have a classroom that is a constructive learning environment that will support any and all students that face linguistic, financial, and/or cultural barriers. Please help me reach my goal in order to make this vision, a reality. 

Back Up Plan