eReaders for Juvenile Inmates that Love Books!

My Students

Ever felt swept aside or forgotten? Many of my students come here alone, with no one to come home to once their time has been served. Their days are long and tedious as juvenile inmates, and reading is their one way of legally escaping the chaos of being an incarcerated teenager.

I teach English and Creative Writing in a residential facility for male juvenile inmates.

There are 28 students total in the entire facility, ranging from 6th to 12th grade (and currently one student who has his GED), from all over the state of Florida. They are sentenced to the facility for six to nine months, although they can stay longer if the facility determines that they require additional treatment. One element of their incarceration is education. Students are generally behind due to not being in school before becoming incarcerated, so their grade levels vary. They are voracious readers, and check out books from my classroom library on a daily basis. They love anything from science fiction to romance! Many of my students have never finished a book, let alone picked one up, before coming into my class. These are great kids, full of curiosity and enthusiasm, desperate for another chance.

My Project

Typically, I teach one group of ten, another group of ten, and then a group of 8 (never more than 10 students at a time). I teach English one day, and Creative Writing the next. Both days also include reading strategies and activities. Due to the varying grade levels, I often have the students grouped accordingly to differentiate their lessons. The eReaders that I'm hoping to get for the classroom will allow me to provide access to books in the classroom that we can use for independent reading, as well as stimulate whole group instruction and student-led reading time. Most schools have systems in place that integrate technology with reading, and having these tablets would not only help me with teaching, but assist the students in becoming better prepared for a return to a traditional school. I want my students to be able to read more often, and having these eReaders would enhance their learning and overall passion towards reading.

This donation will help my classroom TREMENDOUSLY!

I buy books for my students weekly and have an organized system which allows them to check out books to take back to their cells. However, I do not have the funds to buy multiple copies of books, and need assistance with obtaining eReaders to avoid the high costs of class sets. The books I've bought have been read so much that they're starting to fall apart, and the eReaders would allow students to continue reading with the help of technology.