What does a toddler rain coat, a set of washable watercolor paint, and a paper trimmer have in common? More than you might think…
These are the last three items added to our United Inner City Services (UICS) Amazon Wish List on September 3, 2020. These are the specific requests supplied by UICS teachers. These are the items that make a difference.
#ClearTheList arose out of that very need to ease the burden on teachers as they prepare for the upcoming academic year, especially when they have more on their plates than ever. This social movement is a call to action for supporters to make donations by purchasing supplies from teacher’s Amazon Wish Lists. Here’s how it works: teachers go to Amazon.com, create a classroom wish list, and then share their list on social media. #ClearTheList encourages patrons to remove all items from teachers’ carts into classrooms. Organizations like T-Mobile and celebrities like Chrissy Tiegen have publicly participated in supporting the movement.
“We have the framework and teaching staff to give our students enriching experiences, but it’s the small details and extras that make a huge difference,” Brianne (Bri) Pegg, UICS-St. Mark Center Arts Coordinator explains why our Amazon Wish List fulfillment brings such exceptional value to UICS. “Teachers are given a budget to purchase essential classroom materials. Our Amazon Wish List allows us to make requests for special or big ticket items that are specific to our students. It fills a huge void by taking our resources to the next level.”
UICS’ creative curriculum recognizes that young children learn best by doing. We embrace individuality and support exploration. Our teachers employ individualized learning approaches for every student to meet them where they are. When children are empowered to explore their own interests, they engage and are in the best position to learn remarkable things. Bri shared, “It’s my job to modify learning experiences for each child. I want learning to be fun and engaging. We all learn differently, and I have a responsibility to do that.”
For additional context to add to Bri’s comment above, she is the teacher who added toddler raincoats to the UICS Amazon Wish List. “We have this incredible mud kitchen on the playground thanks to our generous partners, but some kids are worried about getting dirty or have sensory aversions. The raincoats will help make each student feel more comfortable to participate in fun activities with their classmates. It basically evens the playing field.”
This example is just one of many requests from incredibly inspiring teachers seeking to go the extra mile daily to offer creative opportunities for students. Every UICS Amazon Wish List purchase, regardless of size, grants possibility to our committed teachers and inspiration to our little learners.
If you would like to help us ensure our teachers and Kansas City’s youngest students have every opportunity to thrive in the coming school year, please check out our UICS Amazon Wish List here. We are always in need of materials to support our teachers and students.
