Developing A Literacy of Self

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

Texts, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, IM - you name it, my kids have it, do it, and feel like they can't live without it. Being a student in the 21st Century can be difficult with so many distractions. I want to show kids that books and reading can teach them about who they are.

Whenever I'm at a party and someone asks what I do, I tell them that I teach in an urban public school.

They then ask, "What grade?" When I tell them "seniors in high school," their mouths drop. They assume that my kids are checked out, difficult, and hard to teach. When I tell them that my kids are focused, engaged, resilient, and difficult (they ARE teenagers after all!) they get the point and back off. My students are all of the above - and more. Many have been marginalized by their community, but they have remained in school with the intention of going to college - all being the first in their family to do so. I have confidence that my kids understand and will accept the rigors of college, but my worry is that they need to feel the pace in which college operates. I have found that one way to teach this is to get kids reading. All-The-Time. My students need to feel as connected to a book as they do Facebook. I want a status message to broadcast, "Not now, I'm reading!"

My Project

Our school does not have a library, and does not have the resources to provide English teachers with books to create a classroom library. The secret to fostering a habit of reading, which will give my kids insight into the demands of just how much reading college entails, is to provide enough choices for students and to know students well enough to help them find that one book that will transform their experiences. I've witnessed former students take off and read book after book when provided with a protected space that is quiet and filled with reading. When this happens, the reading vibe in the room is so contagious that students influence each other to read and even reluctant readers become page-turners! Independent reading has the potential to give students a personalized path to explore literature and expression.

My kids are always the first to let me know about the latest fashion trend, funny movie, or jammin' song.

Please help me give them an opportunity to tell me about their favorite new novel - the one that kept them up all night and got in the way of them finishing their homework. I have no doubt that once my kids develop a habit of reading for pleasure, having a book in hand will feel as natural as checking Facebook for the 5th time in an hour. Let's help them develop this literacy of self.