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
Middle school students are renowned for saying the same things to English teachers and librarians year in and year out: "I hate reading!" or "There aren't any books I like." Well, I have one that has never missed with ANY student I have ever recommended it to: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton!
My students are a tough sell when it comes to reading.
Many are convinced that books are "boring" or "lame." Luckily, I teach 7th grade and have an outstanding novel to pull them into the world of readers. The Outsiders speaks to them on a very personal level. They relate to the characters, the relationships they have and the social problems they face. They laugh and cry and beg for the next book I have to offer.
My Project
I plan on using these books each and every year as the first novel I read with my classes. It hooks them right away and holds their interest through to the gripping end.
Right now in our library we have an insufficient number of copies and the ones we have are decades old and falling apart. Library funds are non-existent due to debilitating budget cuts (in fact our library is only open one day a week this year) and I feel it is vital to the development of literacy and fluency that each student has a copy of the novel in his and her hands while the novel is read as a class.
Once I have these 12 and 13 year-olds read this novel, I have their trust that reading books can and will be not only painless, but a truly amazing experience.
They will beg to read each new chapter and do some of their best writing when responding to the book when they finish. Creating a love of reading is what I want to do and you can help me do it!
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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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 Mrs. Machado and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
