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Classful

While teaching can be a rewarding and life-affirming profession, educators sometimes feel frustrated when schools are unable or unwilling to fund the provision of new technologies, teaching supplies, or training programs for staff.

Indeed, it can be easy to forget the importance of proper school funding. Even the most talented teachers find their jobs difficult when funds run low, as handling oversized classrooms and attempting to teach kids with out-of-date textbooks can feel like a losing battle. Of course, tough teaching environments can also have consequences outside the classroom. If teachers cannot live up to their student achievement targets, they may jeopardize their jobs.

Students may also suffer, as inadequate teaching resources could impact their grades and leave them stressed about the future. Indeed, kids of all abilities will likely come up against some trouble when faced with overcrowded classrooms. In classrooms of mixed academic ability, some of the smartest students will not be able to shine as much of the teacher’s attention will be spent helping those that require extra guidance.

In this situation, teachers often find their jobs are not as fulfilling as they had hoped. It can be hugely frustrating if kids cannot reach their full potential due to a lack of funds, with some teachers even deciding to leave the profession despite their passion for helping young people.

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How can these issues be tackled?

Encouraging teachers to stay in the profession requires concerted efforts to help develop their skills and treat them with the respect they deserve. Indeed, teachers must be allowed to take on professional development courses to bolster their confidence and help them to develop innovative ways of teaching younger generations.

Of course, helping teachers do their job by providing adequate supplies is also absolutely imperative. Losing overworked teachers frustrated by a lack of school funding is a great shame and something we as a society should tackle. After all, teachers help to nurture and develop our youth. Few other jobs are so vital.

How can teachers and schools get extra funding?

Funding is often hard to come by in today’s financially strained world. Fortunately, the internet has opened up new ways for educators to attract donations.

Putting money towards schools is an incredible act of generosity that could vastly improve the lives of teachers and students. If you’ve been inspired to direct some of your hard-earned cash towards some of the country’s fabulous teachers (or if you’re a teacher hoping to collect funds), we’ve put together a comprehensive list of funding sites you can try today:

1. Classful

Classful is a website designed to allow teachers to collect funding and donations for their classrooms (as well as a little extra for being fantastic educators!). The site emphasizes the importance of the teaching profession and aims to empower and thank teachers for doing what often under-appreciated work is.

The process for making donations on Classful could not be easier. Teachers can make an account by signing up and filling out a few pieces of information. They can then publish a profile detailing all of the great work that they do. Once everything is up and running, people can start donating money to their page.

2. Funds for Teachers

Funds for Teachers aims to invest in teachers’ professional development and growth to boost student success rates, improve teacher practice, and strengthen schools and their communities.

Funds for Teachers allows users to write grant applications according to a template tailored to a specific state’s professional development requirements and requirements for supplies or new technologies. Teachers can even take a look at successful grant proposals for inspiration.

3. National Endowment of the Humanities

The National Endowment of the Humanities could provide opportunities to travel to broaden your horizons and learn new things if you work within a humanities discipline. Trips can be taken domestically or abroad, and all expenses will be paid (including accommodation, air travel, daily meals, and excursions). Making the most of this opportunity could help to develop your teaching practice by opening you up to new ideas and cultures.

4. The National Endowment for the Arts

Are you an art teacher with ideas for a new project to involve your students? The National Endowment for the Arts could be a great place to seek funding. The organization offers a selection of fellowships and grants for people that teach arts-related subjects such as English, art, or creative writing.

5. GetEdFunding

GetEdFunding is an invaluable site that helps educators and schools identify the kinds of funding they need when finances get tight through a special grant-finding search tool. The site hosts thousands of grants for educational purposes, including awards for outstanding educators, grants for teachers in need, opportunities for an array of public and private schools, grants for administrators, and special educational programs.

Teachers can also develop professionally by browsing the site’s scholarly articles and selecting free webinars and videos. There are also online communities that teachers can visit for support and a virtual teacher’s lounge to enjoy during a few minutes of precious downtime.

6. The National Education Association Foundation

Not to be confused with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Education Association (NEA) Foundation is a public charity that was founded by teachers for teachers to boost the caliber of public education for students across the country.

The organization offers grants to teachers regardless of whether they are members of the NEA. Over the past decade, they have awarded over $7 million in funding to almost 4,500 public school teachers to enhance the quality of their teaching. The NEA also provides free scholarly resources and professional development advice online.

7. Teach.com

Teach.com is an online database offering teachers an array of helpful resources covering topics such as professional development and improving student attainment. It also offers a helpful guide to how teachers can source funding to improve their teaching practice and help students.

8. The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation

The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation offers grants to small groups of teachers to attend intensive professional development courses that will allow them to bolster student achievement in their schools.

9. Donors Choose

Donors Choose a site founded by Charles Best, a history teacher who channeled much of his salary into funding classroom supplies. He set up the website in 2000 to help teachers collect donations to fund their classrooms. In 2003, Oprah Winfrey plugged the site on her television show and attained instant popularity, with around $250,000 going straight to educators.

The site itself is very easy to use. Teachers can post projects they feel their schools need, such as field trips, extra classroom supplies, or new software. Users can then donate as much as they can to the project. Donors Choose will order and ship the necessary supplies directly to the school.