My students need a class set of The Boy on the Wooden Box, an accessible, interesting memoir which shows the triumphant spirit of a Holocaust survivor.
In a world of "selfies," we strive to see beyond the surface. My students are learning to think of others and to learn from other people's experiences. I want to help them understand the breadth of the world and how they can make a difference in it.
They enter my room laughing, sometimes shouting, full of energy and emotions.
Some students are checking their cell phones; some are burdened with heavy backpacks and maybe a project they made for science class. In my room, we study life, but I don't teach biology. I teach literature and language.
My students are quite diverse in ethnicity, learning styles, and interests. What they have in common is a desire to make the world a better place. As we discuss literature, we try to find the connection that makes us all human. As their teacher, I try to empower them to follow Gandhi's advice and be the change they want to see.
Our school is a freshman campus, so all of our students are in a critical phase of choosing their peer groups, learning to drive, and balancing their desires for independence with their needs to be nurtured.
My Project
Students accept that they must read and write a lot in my class. However, they are demanding consumers, and they want to read things that matter. I would like to lead them in a book study of Leon Leyson's memoir entitled The Boy on the Wooden Box. This touching account of the horrific experience of a Holocaust survivor manages to maintain honesty while showing a triumphant spirit that can help teenage readers embrace the lessons history can teach us. After studying the memoir, my students will write their own histories. I will use Leyson's story as the mentor text to help them create their own memoirs. Students want to read and write with real-world purpose. A class set of The Boy on the Wooden Box would allow them that experience.
Today's teenagers often confine their interests and knowledge to things that directly affect them.
Tolerance and compassion need to be taught in a context that my students can understand and appreciate. I believe this project will help them care about other people and understand how their actions toward others make a difference.
Nearly all 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. McDowell and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
