Wow! Why don’t you drop a bit of money lower down the pike!

I heard about this earlier from PA Harrisburg that they got some money from an anonymous source. But I just thought it was a local donor but I guess it was bigger than that from the most recent news article Mystery donors give over $45M to 9 universities. If I had a lot of money that I wanted to give toward education, maybe I am biased I would start at the other end. I would start with quality childcare centers maybe using the Keystones STARS system maybe $10,000 toward educational supplies. So many childcares I am in have one set of toys day in and day out or have enough to rotate a few times a week. The two year old program that my son goes to is expensive but it is bright, with great teachers and they do rotate the toys and make it weekly themes, they are going for the 4^th star this summer.

Then I would move onto Elementary schools and gift money directly for classroom use that way it isn't sucked up into the administration void. Our school gives each teacher $100 cash for incidental supplies no questions asked what it goes toward. I use mine for the aluminum foil, starch, and other odd materials I cannot just order through a catalog that an art room uses. I don't know of any other school that lets teachers use money for odd supplies. Ask a teacher how much money they spend on their classroom a year, it is going to be at least $100. I would give teachers a $500 - $1,000 gift for supplies. If the school wants them to save receipts to hand in to show they didn't use it for a cruise fine. Though I think after seeing some of the teacher's classes and behavior issues they deal with every day, I would say a cruise may be the perfect thing for them. Then also I think every school needs a good play ground. I would give money to schools that need a new playground especially the inner city schools, schools that need wheel chair accessible units and I think even middle schools should have one. The inner city schools plant some trees and get some sod out and make it an oasis for these kids. My favorite group is Boundless Playgrounds I researched them in grad school and they have the research to back up playground models. They have it for ages 2-12, with term Beta, Alpha and Gama areas. Do the virtual tour.

Next High Schools I would donate money for Netbooks in the classroom. Research is holding for these small computers. I think that it would open a whole new type of educational experience and if used as an educational tool one site 10 ways to use netbooks in the classroom. I said high schools but this newer tool can move on down to the lower grades as well. But I think you need to be the right teacher for it, where as in high school students can independently master this tool.

Now I need to go buy a lottery ticket, maybe I can win Millions and put my money where my mouth is.