Teaching at a rural high school in Georgia has been a challenge in ways I hadn't expected. Many students are passively resistant - rather than acting out (for the most part), they simply don't complete their work and often don't respond in class.
By the time they enter my 10th-grade English II class, students have often been struggling for years. They self-identify as nonreaders, proudly proclaim that they "ain't read a book" in years, and know exactly how long they have until they're legally allowed to drop out.
These students typically haven't experienced success. They rarely get much choice in the work that's assigned to them. And as a result, it's highly unlikely that they'll continue their education after graduating - if they make it that far.
Current literacy research supports the 50/50 approach: 50% choice reading and 50% academic reading. I would like to create literature circles to read modern YA dystopian novels as we study Orwell's 1984 as a class.
Students will have the opportunity to choose a recent, popular novel to read and discuss with their friends. The thematic connection in the lit-circle books will also help the students understand the ideas presented in 1984.
For struggling students, this opportunity to experience both choice and success can change the way they see themselves.
Your support for this project can help these students succeed in this class, and may shift a student from 'passive resistance' to 'actively engaged' - more likely to complete high school and continue into college.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. C. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.