I believe that a developmentally essential part of being a kid is playing. They learn key social skills like taking turns and negotiating and, in many cases, they practice many academic skills as well.
I teach twenty-one students in an urban school where there is a high level of linguistic, academic, and cultural diversity as well as an overall eagerness to learn.
Most of my students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. They see school as a safe place where they can rely on predictable routines and a lot of exciting learning. Their hard work motivates me to seek out the very best for them.
My Project
Most of my students live very difficult lives and face many daily challenges. One of my top goals for them is to be able to work together to communicate and solve problems so that they will succeed in the real world. Playing games is a great way for them to learn the skills they need while having fun at the same time. A bonus is that they practice many math and language arts skills. Counting, adding, and subtracting are used in Chutes and Ladders, Sorry, and Trouble. Spacial skills are employed in Memory and Connect Four. Students will practice their language skills in Guess Who. Spelling is practiced in Scrabble Junior. They'll even do some stretching in Twister! All of the games require that my students practice their English language skills.
My class has a fifteen-minute free choice time that students can earn at the end of the day, and that is when these games would be played (along with rainy day recess and class parties).
I want my students to develop the interpersonal skills that are vital to leading successful lives.
I think a great way to do this is to have students play games with one another.
They'll also last for years to come as new classes of students come through my room.
Thank you for supporting my teaching, our classroom, and public education
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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. Olsen and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
