My students are from a neighborhood with a high refugee population. As a result, they speak many different languages and have extremely diverse and unimaginable experiences. Many of them are picking up what it means to be in school and speak the English language.
It can be overwhelming and frustrating for my students to go from their home culture to the American elementary school culture and back every day.
Nonetheless, they are driven and committed, even as 5- and 6-year-olds. They work hard, whether their parents are able to support them academically or not. They bring so much inspiration and sunshine into our school!
My Project
Kindergarten teachers get many special privileges, and one of them is laying the foundations of handwriting. Some of my students come into Kindergarten writing their "name-" though often it looks more like they mashed the Wingdings keyboard. They leave Kindergarten writing stories with multiple sentences and rich details that are entirely legible! This exciting progress comes at a high price.
I try to limit paper usage in my classroom, but my students' handwriting progress is a priority.
I use dry erase boards to ease the waste, but there is too much obsession over correct use of the markers because they are incredibly expensive. They also don't require as much muscle as a pencil and paper, which is a crucial point in Kindergarten. The whole thing creates a frustrating problem for my students and for me.
Enter the Boogie Board. It's a big investment, but then it's done; no new markers or extra paper or sharpening pencils. These are made for preschoolers, so they are durable. They are incredibly fun to write with and my students can trace letters if they're needing extra practice. I can still share important writing milestones with parents by using Boogie Board's app. It is the perfect solution.
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. Pritchard and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
