21 kiddos on the carpet and the teacher asks a question. Hands shoot up in the air some waving franticly because they KNOW that they have the answer! Yet some hold back not quite so confidant. Get the picture? BUT if they all had to write it then show it. Well then even the shy kid gets a chance!
My Kindergarten students are eager learners, yet many are functioning well below their age due to the poor environment they live in.
Many come from impoverished homes and a few are living in shelters. Sadly their self-esteem is low and most have no confidence in their ability to voice their answers or opinions! Our Title 1 school is very supportive but even they do not have enough resources for the extras such as this! My students are charming, smart, sweet little 5 and 6 year olds who come to school every day craving knowledge. Yet they do not bemoan what they do not have and they DO have dreams of going to college. My sweet Pandas will come in the door ready to learn and have fun; they will laugh, cry, hug, giggle, play, and learn all in one place: their classroom. Therefore I am eager and ready to help them achieve their dream.
My Project
There will always be those kiddos who will know the answer almost every time and their sweet little hand will fly up instantly and wave in your face trying to get your attention as if to say, "Pick me I know I know!" While others not quite so sure of themselves or maybe they just do not like to speak out, will keep their hands down. But what if every child was given an equal chance to answer without the intimidation of the others whose hands go up first? These wipe off board paddles are the perfect solution! Each child will have their own paddle and marker to write on for group or team activities. They are even color coded for team or small group activities! They might be writing an opinion, voting, or the answer to math or literacy questions. And as a wonderful bonus think about how I the teacher will be able to assess quickly who might need extra support and who has it! The best part is that every child gets a chance! Oh and they can be used in every part of the day!!
This year as always I have some very outgoing students and some very shy introverted students.
However this year there seems to be more of those munchkins who just don't want to speak out. I want to give them a voice which I believe will help build their confidence as well as help me to know more about what THEY know. I have some white boards but not enough and they are cumbersome to hold up. These paddle are just absolutely perfect! I cannot wait to use them! Thank you for your help!
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. Johnston and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
