I'm excited to announce the second classroom I'll be redesigning for Oakland High School's math teacher Mr. Wong but, I need your help fundraising to make this teachers dream classroom a reality by July 1! By purchasing any of our products on our online store 20% of the proceeds go to Mr. Wong's classroom Rm 207 or donate directly to this project! For more details about Mr. Wong, the students, and this project scroll down below. Enjoy reading!
Teacher #1: The Teacher
Mr. Wong is crafty, hilarious, and a proud nerd in his 6th year teaching math. He is currently in his 4th year teaching as an alumni at Oakland High School. What inspired him to teach was realizing the the inequality in education after finding that him and his friend had very different experiences even though they went to the same school. He graduated with a BA in Geography, an MA in Education, and received his teaching credential at UCLA, "I got into teaching so that I could provide quality education to all students, and not just the ones on the honors track." What he offers students is interesting ways to problem solve in math and real life scenarios, a comfortable space for all including "the nerds", open availability for one-on-one extra help outside of class time, and encourages a sense of confidence and pride in their work. In addition to teaching he also sponsors Anime Club, is the head of the Math department, and helps out the baseball team but he feels, "my main job is to make young people believe in their own capabilities."
Teacher #2: The Students
Oakland High School is the oldest public high school in the city of Oakland, CA serving a diverse population of students ranging from:
35% African American 27% Latino 33% Asian
1% Pacific Islander 1% Mixed Races 2% White
1% Native American
Many of the students are from low-income families and find comfort at school more than at home. Students participate in various academies that group them into career industry focused cohorts.
Teacher #3: The Classroom
Needs some major improvements:
- unorganized supplies
- tables crammed together making awkward gaps
- unorganized paper piles
- blank white color walls
- too much wallpaper
- no windows = no fresh air
- dull lighting of smart board projector
- one sad fake plant
- no sufficient light when lights are off for lectures on the projector
- not enough teacher desk storage
Dream Classroom: Mediterranean Muse
"I think we all internalize positive and negative feelings from the spaces we occupy. I think many students become accustomed to poor school conditions, so having a well designed space will let them know that they are important and worthy of a nice classroom for learning." - Mr. Wong
- COMMUNAL - CREATIVE - INTERESTING - INSPIRATIONAL - OPEN - NATURE -
- SERENE - EFFICIENT - RELAXING - ORGANIZED - COZY - INTEGRATION - VIBRANT -
Materials & Budget:
Need Items - Tier 1 Goal $1,470
- paint walls (to open and energize the classroom)
- visual engagement (art + math integration posters)
- install better lighting (allow students to work under dimmer lights when main lights are off for the projector)
- improve air quality (fan and essential oil diffuser)
- organize teacher space (adding storage and expanding workspace)
- organize student space (adding designated paper trays and easy access to containers of materials)
- install a small white board (student calendar to keep track of due dates, exams, and field trips)
- labor costs
Dream Items - Tier 2 Goal $2,110
- comfortable student seating (adding cushions to chairs)
- add natural elements (fake plants to create tranquil corners)
- chill zone (comfortable space for students to unwind during hectic days, one-on-one check-ins, club meetings, and parent teacher meetings)
- classroom wellness station goodies (snacks for students, band-aids, hand sanitizer, tissue box, cough drops, female products, hand soap, lotion)
- eco-friendly cleaning supplies (student, teacher health, keeping the classroom clean, and non-toxic to the environment)
Above & Beyond - Tier 3 Goal >$2,110
- goes to the next REDesigning classroom project
The months prior to the REDesign in June I'll be creating, fundraising, and collecting materials for Mr. Wong's dream classroom, but I can't do it alone!!!
By purchasing any of our products on our online store 20% of the proceeds go to Mr. Wong's classroom Rm 207 or donate directly to this project!
Thanks for reading!
Stay tuned for the before and after photos!!!