The kindergarten children are confident in spirit, infinite in resources, and eager to learn. Everything is still possible. ~Robert Fulghum.
My kindergarten class lives in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country.
They are 50% English Language Learners and come from diverse backgrounds: Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Somali, Thai, Mexican, African-American and white. Many of them come to school academically behind national norms, just beginning to identify letters and sounds or write their name. Amazingly though, kindergartners have the ability to catch-up and catch-up quickly with the right resources, time to practice and instruction.
My Project
As our kindergarten classes are growing larger and larger in the state of Washington, it has become increasingly challenging to fit all the children in our classroom with space to learn and still maintaining spaces for play. My new class of children this fall will have 26-28 students! Our poor classroom shows its age with only 11 cubbies, enough to allow 22 kiddos to hang their belongings... I want to make sure our classroom functions for all the children next year. That is going to require getting creative. I'm asking for two new tables for student seating/work areas as well as storage bins and caddies to organize their materials. These resources will help me make very efficient use of space and ensure that my huge group of kinders are safe, happy and comfortable while they work.
My students are bright, capable children.
With enough strategic instruction and time for learning, they can catch up to their higher income peers. However, as my class size grows larger and larger, it is making it harder and harder to give that attention. While I wish class sizes were smaller, I am focused on the now. Right now, this is the reality. What we can do is create the most functional and efficient learning environment possible so that the kids and I can focus on the business of learning.
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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. Kribbs and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
