You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts

In a rush to make a major tax-deductible gift before the year's end?
Purchase account credits and choose projects later!

In a rush to make a major tax-deductible gift before the year's end? Purchase account credits and choose projects later!

For direct assistance with credits or anything else, please call our donor relationships team: (646) 586-5306 ext. 202

To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Your school email address was successfully verified.

Ms. McMahon's Classroom Edit display name

  • Blaine Primary School
  • Blaine, WA
  • 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

Support her classroom with a gift that fosters learning.

  • Monthly
  • One-time

We'll charge your card today and send Ms. McMahon a DonorsChoose gift card she can use on her classroom projects. Starting next month, we'll charge your card and send her a DonorsChoose gift card on the 17th of every month.

Edit or cancel anytime.

cancel

Support Ms. McMahon's classroom with a gift that fosters learning.

  • Monthly
  • One-time

We'll charge your card today and send Ms. McMahon a DonorsChoose gift card she can use on her classroom projects. Starting next month, we'll charge your card and send her a DonorsChoose gift card on the 17th of every month.

Edit or cancel anytime.

Make a donation Ms. McMahon can use on her next classroom project.

https://www.donorschoose.org/classroom/5727253 Customize URL

When I was in early elementary school, I remember when my teachers would give me time to free write: no prompt, no topic, no rules - just write. I created fictional characters, other worlds, gave my characters the same problems I was facing as an 8 year old and helped myself solve them through my characters. I wrote and drew to my heart's content without fear of judgement. It was a magical time and experience for my young self. Through new standards and curricula in this day and age, I have found that my young students do not get the same opportunity for creativity that I did. They are given prompts, told to use proper punctuation, critiqued on letter formation, told they need need to focus on a specific moment of their day, told they must write an opinion piece, a how to manual, a fiction story based on real life - meaning it didn't really happen but it could; it isn't make believe. There is no room for my students to write fairytales, make up mythical creatures, fantasy lands, or write out a business plan for the rocket scientist they will be one day. While I cannot change my state's standards or my school's curricula, I can choose to swap out boring, rote morning work for journal time. I want my students to have a few minutes in the morning to write or draw whatever they want, letting their creativity run wild as they become to love writing and become avid writers. As first graders in the fall, they write and draw fairly large while they develop their fine motor skills. This means that my 21 young students will each need several journals to fill throughout this school year. Thank you so much for considering donating to my project!

About my class

When I was in early elementary school, I remember when my teachers would give me time to free write: no prompt, no topic, no rules - just write. I created fictional characters, other worlds, gave my characters the same problems I was facing as an 8 year old and helped myself solve them through my characters. I wrote and drew to my heart's content without fear of judgement. It was a magical time and experience for my young self. Through new standards and curricula in this day and age, I have found that my young students do not get the same opportunity for creativity that I did. They are given prompts, told to use proper punctuation, critiqued on letter formation, told they need need to focus on a specific moment of their day, told they must write an opinion piece, a how to manual, a fiction story based on real life - meaning it didn't really happen but it could; it isn't make believe. There is no room for my students to write fairytales, make up mythical creatures, fantasy lands, or write out a business plan for the rocket scientist they will be one day. While I cannot change my state's standards or my school's curricula, I can choose to swap out boring, rote morning work for journal time. I want my students to have a few minutes in the morning to write or draw whatever they want, letting their creativity run wild as they become to love writing and become avid writers. As first graders in the fall, they write and draw fairly large while they develop their fine motor skills. This means that my 21 young students will each need several journals to fill throughout this school year. Thank you so much for considering donating to my project!

Read more

About my class

Read more
{"followTeacherId":5727253,"teacherId":5727253,"teacherName":"Ms. McMahon","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/136/teacher-placeholder-2_136.png","teacherHasProfilePhoto":false,"vanityURL":"","teacherChallengeId":21253933,"followAbout":"Ms. McMahon's projects","teacherVerify":-1834613644,"teacherNameEncoded":"Ms. McMahon","vanityType":"teacher","teacherPageInfo":{"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"teacherHasClassroomDescription":true,"teacherClassroomDescription":"","teacherProfileURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/classroom/5727253","tafURL":"https://secure.donorschoose.org/donors/share_teacher_profile.html?teacher=5727253","stats":{"numActiveProjects":0,"numFundedProjects":1,"numSupporters":3},"classroomPhotoPendingScreening":false,"showEssentialsListCard":false}}