News Details

October 2025

How do you make math more fun for kindergartners? It was a question Rhonda Arthur decided to take on with a little help from the Wayne Township Education Foundation.

“Young children learn best when they can touch, move, and explore with their hands,” said Ms. Arthur. “They are just beginning to form their understanding of math concepts, and to fully understand them, they have to be able to see and touch them.”

Providing these hands-on math experiences for her students at Stout Field Elementary would take more classroom materials than Ms. Arthur had on hand.

“Hands-on math manipulatives, such as counting cubes or pattern blocks, allow students to physically see and feel what those ideas mean and make them concrete,” she said. “For example, when a child builds a tower of five blocks and then adds two more, they can clearly see the ‘seven’ right in front of them.”

To assemble a collection of classroom materials that would help make numbers and math concepts come alive for her young students, Ms. Arthur submitted a grant to the organization DonorsChoose. With that funding and help from WTEF, Ms. Arthur now has the materials she needs to make math more engaging for her young students.

Those materials include sets of twistable crayons. “The students are using the new crayons to practice number formation in a fun, engaging way,” said Ms. Arthur. “Because many children are still developing their grip, they often break traditional crayons when working independently—but these sturdier crayons let them practice confidently without frustration.”

Ms. Arthur’s new learning resources also include themed sorting and counting tools, math cubes for counting and patterns, dry-erase markers, and felt fabric erasers. Funding from WTEF and DonorsChoose, she says, will make a difference at Stout Field for a long time.

“These resources directly impact children by helping them build a deeper understanding, a stronger vocabulary, and the confidence that comes from meaningful practice. The support will also have a lasting effect, because the items purchased will be used by students for many years to come.”

ABOUT THE WAYNE TOWNSHIP EDUCATION FOUNDATION
The Wayne Township Education Foundation (WTEF) provides community leadership to enrich, engage, and stimulate teaching and learning in the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township. WTEF accomplishes this by supporting school programs and resources, while recognizing excellence among students and staff. To learn more about WTEF, call 317-988-7966, visit wtef.wayne.k12.in.us, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @WayneTwpEdFound.