Sometimes little things "get in the way of big things." Reliable, quiet pencil and crayon sharpeners would let my students focus on learning big things instead of getting frustrated over small things like dull or broken pencils and crayons.
My fourth grade class is a diverse group, located in a southern Los Angeles suburb.
It's also a very full class. This year we have 34 growing boys and girls. As you might expect, space and supplies are tight. We are one of the smaller schools in our school district, but we do have a wonderful community of parents, teachers and administrators. A few years ago our school was recognized as a "California Distinguished School."
Unfortunately, we've all been affected by budget cuts and the recent recession. We do our best to make tools last, because there's very little money to replace them.
My Project
You might be surprised by how much having a reliable, quiet, efficient pencil sharpener and crayon sharpener could change the quality of our classroom experience. Because we are in close quarters, the noise of our semi-broken pencil sharpener (and the frustrated exclamations that come with it) really disrupts our class. Some class activities are delayed by the time it takes for us all to sharpen our tools: crayons and pencils. With a new heavy duty pencil sharpener and crayon sharpener, we'll be able to quietly and quickly sharpen the tools we need so we can get down to the business of learning.
Sharpening pencils and crayons may seem like a small thing but in my classroom, it is a big deal.
Your donation will have impact for years. The pencil sharpener I've requested comes with an eight year warranty. If my class size continues to approximate 35 students, over the course of eight years, these tools will benefit 280 students. But wait - there's more! I teach science to all fourth graders at my school, so every fourth grader for the next eight years will benefit from your gift.
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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. K. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.