The 3 R's and Fine Arts, Too!

Reading, Writing, and Math are essential subjects in school, but often we forget that Music, Art, and Creative Movement are very important too. While formal instruction in the basic skills gives children their educational foundation, small children need to use ALL of their senses to learn best. The children in my Kindergarten class in Western Pennsylvania are no exception. In fact, since many of my students come from low income families, they are often behind in their readiness skills, and I need to use every possible way that I can to get them to enjoy learning. That's why I like to use music, art, and creative movement to teach and reinforce the basic skills in my classroom, in addition to books and learning games. Children love to learn when they're having fun too.

However, with many children in a classroom, and budgetary cut-backs at all levels, my own money goes only so far in buying things for my classroom. I often lack the funds to provide new materials to replace old ones, or to expand the supply of books, learning games, music Cd's, art supplies, etc. for my students.

My Kindergarten students need hands-on resources that will engage them as "learners", and build skills in Reading, Writing, Math, Art, Music, and Creative Movement. I would like to enrich my classroom environment by adding to it some new Cd's containing songs for "Learning Basic Skills Through Music", and for introducing my students to the beautiful music and movement of "The Nutcracker" ballet. I would like to provide finger paint, color tiles, and an art idea book for my students, to foster their artistic creativity. The Math books and manipulatives that I requested will allow students to practice counting, patterning, and graphing skills during small group instruction time. At our classroom "Writing Center", lined writing strips can be used by the children for printing their names, sight words, new vocabulary words, and original sentences. Book and CD sets can be added to our "Listening Center" to improve listening comprehension skills. A variety of Reading center games and activity task cards can help me to provide the students with an interesting way for them to practice reading, writing, and matching their sight words, to help improve their reading fluency.

You can help me to provide appropriate, meaningful, differentiated instruction to the children in my Kindergarten class. By providing the necessary materials to enhance our classroom learning experience, the children will learn their basic skills in Reading, Writing, and Math, and will enjoy and appreciate Music, Art and Creative Movement, too. With your help, Kindergarten learning CAN be fun!