Do you remember the first time you read a piece of poetry that reflected you and your life? My students will be writing poetry in our Stories of Arrival Poetry project, and I want them to be able to find a library as diverse as they are, right in my own classroom.
My students are from all over the world: Iraq, Mexico, Somalia, Kenya, Burma, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Eritrea, Ethiopia....the list goes on.
They are all advanced learners of English, and my class prepares them for mainstream English classes and college. My students are mostly refugees. Many have never spent time in the native countries, but rather grew up in neighboring refugee camps.
My Project
I have requested books that will help me build an international poetry library in my classroom. This library will be ready and available for inspiration and for class work. With this international poetry collection, my students will have time to read and explore a world of poetry.
This global collection is often not present or available in all libraries. I want my students to see their cultures reflected in the work. Cultures of war, loss, revolution, displacement. We will study these writers, analyze their work, imitate their work, and value their work in my class through projects, readings, and writing.
We all feel connected to what we learn by seeing ourselves inside the lesson, and by feeling valued.
In a diverse classroom like mine, it's necessary to go above and beyond the regular list of resources in order to reach my students at a level that interests them and values who they are and where they have come from. These poetry books begin to get at the heart of my students and connect to them, their worlds, and their communities.
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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. Stradley and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.