My students need a book flood! In his book Readicide, Kelly Gallagher offers that access to a wide range of reading materials is the best antidote to reading reluctance.
$371 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating 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.
How many books do you think you could read over the course of 30 hours? That's how long students in tenth grade English, who read for the first ten minutes of class every day of the 180-day school year, will spend engaged in independent reading from September to June. What a literary journey!
The students at my school reside in one of the poorest congressional districts in the United States.
When the last bell of the school day rings at 3:10 pm, most students head to a part-time job (whose income helps to put food on the table) in the neighborhood or home to take care of younger siblings or elderly relatives. Rarely does this second shift provide the space or time for leisure reading, an activity highly correlated with academic success, higher SAT scores, and greater chance of admission to college. The reading students do in school is critical for providing an avenue to a brighter and more enriching life. Independent reading has been a part of my English curriculum for five years, and with the gradual and regular addition of high-interest books to my classroom library, I see students blossom into lifelong readers. Upperclassmen return to my room to borrow books, a testament that reinforces the value and importance of providing students with ample reading time and material.
My Project
Students in my tenth grade English class read a book of their choosing for the first ten minutes of class every day. While they are welcome to bring a book from home or the municipal library to read, the majority of students select a book from the classroom library. Students sign out a book and keep it in their possession until they finish it, at which point they can browse the library for their next reading selection. In his book Readicide, educational activist Kelly Gallagher describes how a "book flood"--ready access to a wide range of high-interest reading material--is the antidote to the apathy many students feel towards reading as a result of the increasing pressure of and preparation for high-stakes tests. To help teachers create this book flood, Gallagher includes a list of the 101 most popular books among teenagers. The titles in this project represent the coming-of-age genre of that list that appeals to so many of today's high school students.
A relationship with reading is timeless and enduring, and the books in this project will foster the connection between my students--current and future--and a love of the written word.
There is no greater pleasure in life than relishing a good book, and there is no more important contribution to public education than the establishment of generations of lifelong readers.
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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 Ms. Clendenny and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
