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This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Leserman from Van Nuys, CA is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Leserman is requesting

Spirograph: Beautiful Skills for Beautiful Writing, Part 1

My students need five spirograph sets and pushpins to help them develop the coordination skills needed for writing by hand.

  • $179 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Mrs. Leserman for her next project!

Help Mrs. Leserman

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Mrs. Leserman for her next project!

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

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

My middle- and high-school students absolutely cannot write anything legible by hand, which is a dangerous disadvantage. Though highly motivated English learners, most arrived in America past the age at which handwriting and cursive are taught, and as a result never had a chance to learn the skills.

Every human being should be able to communicate in writing, but these very nice kids are unable to take notes for themselves, or anyone else.

They cannot take notes in a doctor's office when translating for their parents, are unable to write down street directions, or even pass a romantic note in class to a special someone. There are thousands of reasons to jot down a message, but all of them are beyond these kids. It's fashionable to say kids don't need penmanship skills in the information age, but those devices aren't universally available. At our school, computers and mobile devices that would make up the difference are held in reserve for standardized testing. Every human being should be able to communicate in writing.

My Project

What's so bad about bad penmanship for middle- and high-school students? The biggest problem is that teenagers are humiliated going back to learn the same skills that others learned in first grade. They need basic tools to build eye-hand coordination, finger strength, and a sense that writing is artful. Which is why they need Spirograph. Spirograph is not just a toy for making beautiful swirls with plastic wheels! It is a great learning tool that helps students build confidence with a pen, and muscle-control suitable for writing. Spirograph provides instant gratification as students are learning to hold the tools of writing, and a rewarding way to learn the fundamentals of putting ink on paper.

Spirograph is one of many tools I need to help my English learners ease into the world of handwriting, cursive, and penmanship.

Your support will provide strength, encouragement, and beauty to discouraged teenagers who are gradually learning the tools of literacy. Your gift will help ensure that these students enjoy the basic human right of being able to write by hand.

Mrs. Leserman Robert Fulton College Preparatory School Grades 9-12

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Mrs. Leserman

Van Nuys, CA View local requests

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

75 students impacted 3donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Spirograph Deluxe Design Set • Amazon $19.99 5 $99.95
Chuzhao Wu Transparent Red Push Pins Plastic Top Thumbtacks Thumb Tacks Map Pin Stickers Pushpin(Pack Of 150) • Amazon $9.99 1 $9.99

Materials cost

$109.94

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $10.06

3rd party payment processing fee

$1.65

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$151.65

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$26.76

Total project goal

$178.41

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $178.41

2 Donors

-$178.41

Donations toward project cost

-$151.65

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$26.76

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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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. Leserman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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