Books Students Can Love

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." More than a century after Frederick Douglass made this statement, it remains relevant for many of my students struggling to free themselves from poverty. For those who learn to love reading, literacy can pave the way to success.

I teach Bilingual English, Sheltered English and Journalism at an urban school on the South side of Milwaukee.

The vast majority of my students are English Language Learners. Many speak Spanish as their first language, and some know little or no English. Others' native tongues include Burmese, Chin and Karen. In addition to the challenges that come with moving to a new country and trying to keep up in school while learning a new language, the majority of my students are struggling with poverty and related issues. Roughly 90 percent of the students at my school are "economically disadvantaged," according to data kept by the state. Likely due to these struggles (among others), many of my students enter my classroom with reading and writing skills that are far below grade level. Many see reading as a painful chore. Despite these challenges, many of my students are motivated to improve their literacy. I want to help them develop a love of reading so they can achieve that goal.

My Project

My goal is to build a classroom library of engaging, easy-to-read books that relate to my students' interests, experiences and cultures. I plan to give students about 40 minutes a week to silently read a book that they care about. Students will have to document their reading, but the program will mostly be about learning to enjoy texts. Here's why it's so important to have the books I've requested: Many of my students say they don't like books, and I believe much of their frustration stems from the kind of printed material they've been forced to consume. Much of what our students are traditionally asked to read is boring, outdated, far above their reading levels and largely unrelated to their cultures and experiences. Research shows students read at higher levels when they are interested in the material. I have asked for many Spanish-language books and books about Southeast Asian cultures because my school has very few texts in these categories.

Many of my students never pick up a book unless they are forced to do so, and this slows their already difficult journey toward literacy.

That situation could completely shift, however, if students can walk into their English class and pick up a book in their language, about their country, at their reading level, about topics that matter in their lives. The concept that reading can be enjoyable could turn students' academic careers around, while also helping them learn other course materials.