Doggone We Love To Read!

My Students: Most of my students have never owned a book. There are no books in their homes. It's my dream to make books, and through books life long learning, as desired by them as food,...

My Project: Like so many schools, ours has been hit hard by the economy. Funding has been cut and school supplies have been eliminated from the budget. I'll never forget the kids faces wh... more»

My Students: Most of my students have never owned a book. There are no books in their homes. It's my dream to make books, and through books life long learning, as desired by them as food, sleep, and the latest music craze. To do this, I need compelling stories that speak to their history and to their hearts.

My students attend an inner city school. We have a 90% free lunch rate. One of our schools stays open all summer to feed the students. For some, it is the only meal they get each day. Yet, my sophomores come to school every day. They are exuberant, noisy, love life, and intend to go to college. When I give them the typical dyed-in-the-wool classic to read, their eyes dull, and they slouch in their chairs. When I give them a book that is modern and reflects their African American heritage, they beg for more reading time. They love to read out loud and share the story. The kids pepper me with questions. Conversation erupts about their personal family history. There is pride there. The kids beg to borrow the books, so they can read ahead at night. I can't think of a better way to hook a kid on reading. Once they're hooked, they're hooked, and they will seek learning for the rest of their lives.

My Project: Like so many schools, ours has been hit hard by the economy. Funding has been cut and school supplies have been eliminated from the budget. I'll never forget the kids faces when I gave them books this year so old that they reeked with mold and mildew. I decided then and there that I would use my annual salary increase to purchase a classroom set of Copper Sun. Now, my annual increase has been cut. When a student knows that someone cares enough to provide this new, not used or seconds, they feel valued. It improves the intrinsic value so necessary to learning. With this novel, my students will explore their history. They will write in first person as the young woman taken from Africa,shipped to America and sold, her life as a slave, and her bid for freedom. They'll learn to never give up, never stop trying, and never allow a tough world to beat them down.

"Who is this girl, and what have you done with my daughter?" This was the question a mom asked me at graduation a couple of years ago. Apparently, I got the right book into this girl's hands, and she read everything she could find from that author. Before that book, this young woman had never read a book cover to cover. My life's goal is to do that for every student who crosses my path. Will I succeed? Maybe - but I'll never stop trying. Your help would be so valuable. The right book is the key. hide»