Top To Bottom! Left to Right! Letters That Are Out of Sight!
My students need magnetic and write and wipe literacy tools to provide whole group, small intervention group, and independent opportunities to develop confidence and skills in letter formation.
"Top to bottom, left to right, that's how kindergarten students learn how to write!" But learning to write becomes a challenge when we do not have the tools to give our budding little enthusiastic writers that will help develop their love of writing with proper letter strokes and fine motor skills.
In a very large public school district, I teach at a Title One elementary school of about 1000 students who come from different socioeconomic and culturally diverse backgrounds.
My 25 kindergarten students come to school everyday with an "I can!" attitude. They are hardworking, energetic 5 year old children who are excited to "show what they know!". They speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, Armenian, Farsi and most come from immigrant families. With a varied level of abilities, special needs, and literacy backgrounds, one thing that they do all have in common is their eagerness to become "writers." Kindergarten students find great pride and accomplishment in their ability to write their own names. Imagine how they must feel when they become "authors and illustrators" in their own eyes and those of their peers, parents and teacher! The first step toward that goal is the foundation of good penmanship. They need to learn how to write letters and words with proper form and spacing.
My Project
My kindergarten students are eager to write and they are inspiring one another! It all started with one little girl who came to school with a story that she had written entitled "The Day I Lost My Cheese Sandwich". It was a simple "book" of 3 stapled pages upon which she colorfully illustrated and told her story. That did it! Everyone wanted to start writing and sharing their own books! I have one motivated bunch of kids who are ready to share their ideas, but often get halted by their lack of letter formation skills. My class needs another motivating way to develop, strengthen and practice their penmanship (printing). As we have been establishing our letter recognition and formation skills, we have gone the paper and pencil route, but having dry erase board essentials at our fingertips would not only improve printing skills, it would also send the desire to write through the roof! Students would use the lined dry erase boards as they receive direct printing instruction and guidance.
Your generosity will help me improve my students' letter formation skills, which will only boost their confidence in their writing abilities.
They will be proud and confident to share their written work as they sit in our "Author's Chair". My kids will be excited to write as the teacher does...on a white board! They will use the boards in whole group direct instruction, small intervention groups and independently at centers. Strong printing skills will positively effect school performance.
Half of 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
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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. Perros Barrett and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
