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
Heather Shumaker writes, "Play builds brain pathways for thinking, creativity, flexibility, empathy and many other lifelong skills." My 3 and 4 year olds are from various socioeconomic backgrounds and are different ethnicities. Last year our school district reconfigured our schools and we now house PreK through 3rd grade students. I teach one of our six PreK classes.
My goal for my students every year is that, for one year at least, they all love school.
The very high expectations placed on students, leaves little room for fostering the love of learning. What do my students love the most? To play. Year after year, the Dramatic Play Center in my class is the most utilized center. Even when older students come to my room to "cool down" or because their teachers need the student to take a "break", they always walk straight to the kitchen and turn the sink knob or open the refrigerator door.
My students, and even the visitors, are so deserving of the opportunity to play. Much like real life, the lessons learned in the kitchen are some of the most meaningful lessons.
My Project
A new kitchen for our Dramatic Play Center will give students the opportunity to, most importantly, play. In this center, the students will experience pretend play as well as having academics reinforced. In addition to being moms, dads, chefs, or dishwashers, more advanced skills like writing lists, gathering ingredients, and following recipe directions will be incorporated.
In the Dramatic Play Center, it does not matter how many letters you know or what number you can count to.
The student who is struggling academically, will get a boost of self confidence when he/she cooks the best cake ever. The student who is not allowed to play with "girl" toys at home, will have the opportunity to see it's ok for dads to hold a baby while stirring a pot. The student who simply needs to talk, will find the cozy kitchen with just a few friend a safe place to hold conversations.
How do I know this will happen in the new kitchen? Because it happens now, in the old kitchen. It happens around a stove that has no more burners because of the number of meals that have been prepared in pots that have scrapped off the painted burners. It goes on around an oven with no door from 14 years of use. No more extra screws can save the handles that so many tiny hands have touch. And still, Dramatic Play is the center they most want to be in.
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 Ms. Mary Kay and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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