Imagine entering school never having buttoned your own pants, colored with crayons or having held a pair of scissors in your hands. This is the situation of many of the kindergarten students in my class each year. I teach 21 kindergarten children in a building of 400 PreK and K children.
As in other years, 95% of my students are on the free lunch program and from single parent families. Supplies for 50% come from church/social organization donations. Some send no supplies at all, and I shop WalMart sales for crayons, markers, glue etc. to provide them.
This group of students came with very little home preparation for school. More than the usual number have recently turned 5, and are socially, academically and physically immature. Many are nearly crippled by their lack of any previous learning experiences.
Academically, I have many practice activities with which to work with the students, however, 7 of my students have never held scissors, pencils or crayons and need much practice on the basic pinch and grasp needed. Another 5 boys do not have the eye- hand coordination to form and place letters. The various materials I have chosen are used to strengthen and practice fine motor abilities. The kneading and molding of the dough, holding tweezers, the motion of screws and bolts, and stringing beads all can help improve their motor control. Fine motor control is vital in most school tasks-not to mention eventually tying shoes.
Your donation can make the impossible possible, by giving the children the much needed fine motor practice they need to catch up to their peers. I thank you in advance for your consideration.
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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 Ms. Offenbecher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.