This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
"Do not...keep children to their studies by compulsion but by play." -Plato. School has no time for play even though it is vital in how children learn. We focus strictly on academics and students often lose interest in school. My goal is spark student interest through good old fashion play.
My students live in one of the most densely populated cities in California.
The majority of our students are of lower socioeconomic status and receive free or reduced lunch. Although our students' resources are quite limited, they are hardworking and focused on their academics. Our school has over 1,100 students. A large percentage of the students are English Language Learners. The students take their recess/lunch breaks in 3 shifts since the school cannot accommodate all the children at once. We had been on a Year-Round schedule since the opening of the school in 1991. Many of the children in our community have just experienced their first summer vacation last year. The community has been plagued with political scandal that made national news this past year.
My Project
There are very few activities that are more exciting for my students than to simply play and explore in the classroom. Since students are responsible for mastering a tremendous amount of state standards, we often do not have any time for play. For this reason,I reserve the last 20 minutes of each Friday strictly for cooperative play which encourages conversation, team building, and problem solving. This time is better known as Fun Friday Play (FFN). In order for students to participate in FFN, they must have completed all their weekly assignments and homework. The first week in implementing FFN, I usually have 4-5 students that are not allowed to play because of unfinished work. While the others play, the nonparticipating students are allowed to finish their work. By the following week, I have 100% participation in FFN. The students enjoy these short 20 minutes of play and play like they've never played in their lives. Unfortunately, replenishing games and materials is costly.
Donations for Fun Friday Play will make a difference because it rewards my students' efforts.
Students must have completed all their assignments in order to participate. This play time acknowledges the students' hard work and gives them a weekly goal to work towards. It works well for my students who have no parental support at home; these students become self-motivated and complete their assignments at a much higher rate than without a weekly award. All students want to play at Fun Friday Play.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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. Olivia Guevara and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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