I have several voracious readers who have read most of the books in my classroom library. I also have many students who have particular requests for books that we should order. Our school library is only open one day a week, and we don't have many new titles in there to keep the students interested.
I have a tenth grader, Suellen, who came to me one day with a long list of books that she would love to see in our classroom for herself and for others. I suggested that she write up a student-led project. She hopes to recreate a special event that we had last year around Valentine's Day called "Blind Date With A Book."
This project is designed to help students develop their reading skills by introducing them to new books in a creative way. Suellen always has a book in hand, and other students look to her to see what to read next. This project will generate a buzz about books that teenagers want to read. By having my passionate readers like Suellen lead the project, it encourages teamwork and also develops empathy.
In Their Own Words
As a student, reading is required in my daily routine. I, personally, love to read. My classmates also like to read, but they often struggle in choosing the right book for them. They say there are too many to choose from, so they don't bother choosing at all. Last year, my English teacher, Mrs. Hollands, found this idea for a Blind Date With A Book. She put a book in a large envelope and wrote a brief description on the envelope. You didn't get to look at the cover or read the back of the book.
It was an amazing opportunity for my fellow students and me to be surprised and to jump out of our comfort zones. My expectations for myself involving this project range from helping write the brief descriptions, to encouraging classmates to choose an envelope. I'm willing to put in time before and after school. Anything that needs to be done, I will gladly do. I also could get a small group of students together to work on descriptions and envelope stuffing.
With hard work, our Blind Date With A Book will be a success. My classmates and I have a hard time getting books from our school library. You can never find anything teenagers want to read. I feel very passionate about giving my schoolmates the chance to enjoy books they actually will like. I know, first hand, that the right book can change your life, and I want to be a part of that any way possible. I believe that this project is going to make everyone's reading experience more magical.
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 Mrs. Hollands and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
