This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
Do you remember being obsessed with horror movies in middle school? My middle school students are in LOVE with terrifying stories. The problem we face is that our classroom doesn't have any stories scary enough to keep my reluctant readers engaged during reading time.
I teach 7th grade language arts in an urban school in Missouri.
At the beginning of the year many of my seventh graders were reluctant readers. They had not felt success when it came to reading and as result practically refused to pick up a book. I found that the trick is to get books that they are actually interested in. Once I started collecting books by authors such as R.L Stine and Lois Duncan my students became HOOKED. Their reading scores skyrocketed and they realized that reading could be something that is actually enjoyable.
My Project
The problem we face, however, is that they have read all of the scary books we have and are quickly losing momentum when it comes to their reading. We all know that when you play sports you need to practice in order to get better. The same is true of reading. In order to become a better reader, students need to be able to practice reading. The books we are requesting will provide my students with the additional resources they need in order to meet the reading goals they have set this year.
My students are incredibly motivated individuals that make the most progress when they are actually engaged in the material they are reading.
By providing my students with high interest books, you will bring us one step closer to closing the achievement gap for these students and setting them on a better track in life. Without your help it would be impossible for my students to have new books.
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. Garcia-Sweeney and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.