My classroom is the gateway into schooling for most of my students. I teach preschool as part of a program that is free to families and serves “at-risk” children. Most of these students are low-income, speak a different language at home, or have other factors that make their lives more challenging. It is my job to make learning fun and enjoyable as I connect with them and make them feel loved.
Some of my students don’t have any books in their households; the first ones they interact with are the ones provided at school.
They don’t always know how to play cooperatively with other children, hold a pencil, cut with scissors, or put on their own shoes!
Despite the challenges they face, my students come to me excited to learn, eager to make friends, and willing to work. They are incredibly friendly and jump at the chance to help out a friend or teacher. Preschool is the time to foster a love of learning and a feeling of acceptance and self-worth for my students. The growth they make during this first year is incredible and we can’t do it without help!
My Project
I am requesting a variety of materials for a light table for our classroom. Many of these items will allow the children to play with color while they build, look at different colored discs, and layer different colored buttons on top of each other. This will help students to learn their colors and begin to learn about color mixing.
Giving young children access to a light table and the activities to go with it will help create young scientists.
Science in preschool is mostly driven by student interest. My students love it when we pull out anything related to bugs and animals, so the x-rays of these would help to add even more education to our discussions. We could compare these to the x-rays of the human body.
Along with art and science, some of these materials are letters, and letter-builders. Children are drawn to light tables, and providing these materials will help them practice letter names/sounds, spelling, and even building different letters!
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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 Mrs. Parylak and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
