My students need new, popular books they can relate to and get excited about, including high interest graphic novels and contemporary novels by award-winning authors like Kwame Alexander and Jason Reynolds.
My students are seventh graders at a small K-8 school in the Metro East area of Illinois (about 20 minutes away from St. Louis). Our student body is diverse, being comprised of 48% white, 35% African American, 8% Multiracial, 8% Hispanic, and 1% Pacific Islander students. Many of our students live in poverty with 75% percent receiving free or reduced lunch, and most are reading just at or below their grade level.
While my students face many challenges, they are bright, inspiring young people.
They inspire me to be the best possible teacher I can be every day. My goal is to make their time with me as positive as possible and to connect to each and every student individually. I believe in creating a classroom environment that is safe and comfortable, yet stimulating enough that students are able to grow and mature emotionally, socially, and academically.
My Project
My most pressing goal is to build my classroom library to meet the needs and culture of my students. I have a fair amount of struggling and apathetic readers who need a library stocked with familiar titles, popular series, and bright book covers that grab their attention. My current classroom library is full of secondhand books that have seen better days. It's also hard to find popular authors and new titles at discount stores, and I want my students to experience literature from award-winning, contemporary Young Adult authors who weave relevant issues and current events with masterful storytelling. I believe that the opportunity to hold a new book in their hands, with a relatable character and story, will create excitement around reading!
This project will transform my classroom library into a vibrant space that compels even the most reluctant readers to get lost in a book.
Every student deserves to see themselves represented in what they're reading. This project will allow me to add books that promote positive images and stories of African American, Hispanic, and other cultures to our classroom library. My students will be able to connect and identify with these texts--something many of them have not been able to do before. I am also seeking high-interest graphic novels to help my struggling readers build stamina and increase student engagement.
This project is so much more than putting new books on empty shelves. It's a chance to ignite a love for reading that a child can carry with them for a lifetime.
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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. Castelli and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
