Imagine you are 4 years old and walking into your very first classroom experience. You are scared, excited, curious. You see lots of different faces and all you want to do is hide. You start looking around and, all of a sudden, you see books; lots of books! What you would love more than anything is to curl up on a big cushion and look at those books, but all the cozy seats are taken. What can you do?
I am a Preschool teacher at a public, Title 1 school. All of my students are considered "at-risk". This is almost always their first experience being around other kids for more than an hour or so. In the beginning, we struggle. We have to learn how to act with each other, how to talk to each other, how to sit quietly with each other. This is a big step for small children.
An area in my room that promotes the most cooperation is my Book/Reading Area. The children love stories, whether they are making up their own, listening to a reader, or just looking at the pages. This is the area where they can practice getting to know each other without feeling completely overwhelmed. I am seeking to make this area of my room more accessible by adding cozy, washable seating areas that the children can curl up on and look at books with each other. This will help them establish friendships and encourage early reading skills at the same time.
Pre-K is so important in setting the stage for a child's view of school. Your help in making this goal a reality will truly make my room a place where children want to come and learn.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Henegar and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.