This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
"All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten. These are the things I learned: 1. Share everything. 2. Play fair." ~Robert Fulghum. Kindergarten is a time to learn through play, but instead we are being asked to test and assess. I believe we need to go back to basics and provide time to play.
My students are energetic and ready to learn.
They are typical five year olds who want to explore the world and are full of curiosity and energy. They are also growing up in poverty and dealing with struggles that many of us can not fully understand. Our school receives 100% free lunch.
Our classrooms are lacking the essential supplies that make Kindergarten the unique place it was always meant to be. More and more students struggle with behavior problems and the expectations of today's Kindergarten. They are constantly being told to sit still and learn through workbooks and lessons. I believe that the answer to many of these behavior problems is to provide students with a place to learn through play. "Undirected play allows children to learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate, to resolve conflicts, and to learn self-advocacy skills." ~Kenneth R. Ginsburg, MD, MSEd, and the Committee on Communications, and the Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health.
My Project
My students will use the child sized table, chairs, play food and dishes to interact and role play. It will provide them materials for child-directed play time where they can use their imaginations and role-play. It will provide the students a place and materials to use to work in a small group and work through conflicts and learn how to share. It will give them time to increase their language and vocabulary through discussions with one another and socialize in a positive environment.
"Play is integral to the academic environment. It ensures that the school setting attends to the social and emotional development of children as well as their cognitive development. It has been shown to help children adjust to the school setting and even to enhance children's learning readiness, learning behaviors, and problem-solving skills." ~Kenneth R. Ginsburg, MD, MSEd, and the Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. These materials will provide children the opportunity to learn what they really need to know.
This project will begin to fill an empty space in our room.
It will help to create a playhouse where children can have child-directed learning and interact with one another. It will provide children with something they truly need, a child centered room with supplies that increase their imagination and encourage learning through play and interaction. The center will always be full of excited children ready to sit together and enjoy a play dinner and role play being a happy family.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Luciani and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.