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
"Of course Johnny knows his ABC's. Johnny, say your ABC's." Parents often mistake their child's ability to sing the "Alphabet Song" as actually knowing the alphabet~being able to identify the letters. Preschoolers need lots of opportunities to see, touch and hear the letters to master them.
My Preschool Class is specifically for "at-risk" students, which means that they are beginning school from a vulnerable background.
For many, that means they come from a home that is at or below poverty level. Children who come from economically challenged households often do not have the luxury of books, magnetic letters on the refrigerator, or electronic learning games. For many of my students, their first experience with letters is in the classroom. That classroom, then, must be print-rich, loaded with books, and have many, many different kinds of letters to see and touch. We have the print-rich environment and the huge library of books; what we need are the letters that children can see, touch, use and master in their exploration of the alphabet.
My Project
Imagine you are four years old. You can sing the ABC song and count to ten but you cannot recognize your own name. The letters mean little to you. You know they mean something, but you cannot figure it out. Then imagine that you have those letters in your hands. You can feel the sharp edges of the uppercase A and the smooth curves of the S. You can hold the letters in your hand and see that the uppercase and lowercase S look the same, only different sizes, but the uppercase and lowercase A are different. You find the letter that begins your name, and then the next letter and the next until finally you can see and touch your whole name. You may have to do this many, many times, but eventually, something inside will "click" and you will forever know those letters in your name. Then you will notice those letters in other places like the grocery store and you will begin to identify other letters as well until you can identify all 52~upper and lowercase. Now, anything is possible.
The children in my Preschool class begin school with challenges other preschoolers do not have; that does not mean that they are not capable of learning or of "catching up." They may need a little more time to explore and practice, but they can succeed with the right tools.
The right tools can be at their fingertips if this project is funded. Help put letters in the hands and minds of preschoolers. You can help unlock the mystery of the alphabet and finally, the ABC song will make sense.
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. Sanders-Bruce and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.