Putting my $$ where my mouth is...

Via the super-cool idea of DonorsChoose.org. It's like crowd-sourced education funding. Teachers post their requested items, they provide you location information and you choose which things to fund. I saw BoingBoing advertising it this morning but only just now checked it out.

So, in an effort to address the lack of math skills that I frequently complain about, I think my donations will be targeted toward math classes. There's actually a teacher in Houston requesting calculators. Definitely giving my old hometown the nod. I hit a couple others also but there's too many for just me. If you're interested in helping math & science education in Texas, please consider these:

1) Buying Students Copies of "A Short History of Nearly Everything" to promote interest in Chemistry
2) Book bins for 2nd Graders (Hey, I'm a big reader too)
3) Buying TI-83 Calculators. Heck, I still use the TI-85 bought for my high school Algebra II class. Learning to use doesn't just help math but also works as a good introduction to programming.
4) Six Pre-packaged Science Tubs full of experiments & hands-on equipment.
5) Computer Lab - This is a big one but learning to use a computer early is critical in today's world.
6) 2nd Grader's Making Their Own Science Lessons - Really fantastic idea. Just the act of explaining a topic to someone else helps you learn.
7) Fetal Pig Dissection Kit - Yeah, it's gross but I remember doing this lab in 9th grade and it really did help me understand anatomy when I took Biology.
8) Geology & Jewelry Making - Teaching kids geology and small business skills at the same time. Also, it's a fundraiser to help the kids continue to raise more funds on their own. I really like this one.
9) MANY MORE. If you're not from Texas, it's worth it to search the site for projects in your state.

Man, the internet really does help you do everything better!