Sadly, many high school students have fallen out of love with reading. I am determined and passionate about bringing a love of literature back to my students who come into my classroom. I want to help ignite a need to read for these students by giving them choice and opportunities to read daily.
I teach some of the greatest kids in the country.
They are 11th grade students in a large, university-like school in the suburban South. The student population is about 50% white, 40% African American, and 10% Hispanic or other. Our population is extremely transient and there has been a large shift of the diversity and ethnic makeup of the school in the past 5 years. Only about half of the students were actually "born into" the school system.
Our school has a large focus on winning. We win everything from championships in football to state recognitions in debate. With the focus and pressure that many students feel, they don't have time to explore their possible reading interests. In the past, our wonderful library staff has worked endlessly to review and recommend books for my students. However, both of our library aids we're let go this summer, and we no longer have this option. Now, it's my responsibility.
I want to give them the chance to love reading, and football, and debate.
My Project
By having access to these books in my classroom, students will become owners of words. They will be the readers, the recommended. Students will check out books from me: a person that they trust, who has read them, and can match the perfect student to the perfect book.
Students will be given the chance to read on a daily basis, which is something few of my students now do. Students will be given challenges every 9 weeks (5 books per 9 weeks) with a surprise if they are able to complete the challenge. Not only will students be pushed beyond what they believed they could do, but they will push others around them as well.
Also, many of my students do not have the necessary funds to buy their own books or gas to get to the library. My classroom library that I hope to build will give students the reading opportunities that they desperately need.
Donations for this project will help me give access to wonderful, relatable literature to my fantastic students.
My students' lives will be changed for the better from this project in more ways than I can count. They will fall in love with reading and be given access to stories that they may not have ever touched had it not been for my classroom library and the donations from this site.
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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. Zarzour and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.