From Counting Blocks to Confidence: The Impact of PVF’s Mathematics Grants

PVF’s Mathematics Teacher Resource Grants provide invaluable resources to infants, toddlers, and our youngest students, offering up to $500 to bring books, materials, and other manipulatives into the classroom to learn math through play.

PVF loves to hear from grantees, partner organizations, and teachers about their experiences. Read a letter from Lena Pressesky, a Preschool teacher in San Mateo County, who was awarded a Mathematics Teacher Resource Grant to help her students foster mathematical understanding while strengthening their skills.

Thank you so much for your support of East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park children’s education! Your support enabled teachers to purchase exciting new materials to promote math engagement in our youngest learners. We are thrilled to report that these materials are proving to be a hit with our preschoolers.

In particular, the beautiful wooden Sumblox are regularly enjoyed in multiple ways and suit a range of our students’ math levels. Our students love independently putting the numbers in order, supporting their practice with counting. Children who haven’t yet mastered their numbers can still enjoy the stacking and balancing practice provided by the puzzle; as well, they can also work with a teacher on the puzzle who can help with the counting and ordering aspects.

The Tangram puzzles prove to be a favorite. Our teachers have reported that these games can hold our preschoolers’ attention for impressive amounts of time, as our young learners sort by color and shape and fit pieces together to create colorful, imaginative patterns. Heising-Simons Foundation, the impact of your support in helping us obtain these materials cannot be understated. Not only are these materials key in supporting our students’ interest, capability, and confidence in math, the purchased items are high quality and sustainable and will be enjoyed for years to come. At All Five, we believe that all children, regardless of socioeconomic status, deserve access to well-made learning supplies that encourage their interests. We are truly grateful for your support of our program’s young learners, many of whom live in incredibly challenging circumstances.

Thank you again for your dedication to our young learners! Your support makes a big difference in helping us deliver a truly high quality program to all families, regardless of their socioeconomic background. We are grateful for you!!