I teach at an urban school with an overflowing population and wide diversity of students. My students are Juniors and Seniors in non-advanced classes, and come from a variety of backgrounds. Many are first generation students and English language learners.
At home, many of my students have little to no access to books and other reading material.
In class, I try to find curriculum that will engage this diverse group of students; some of them are on the cusp of going to college, while many of them struggle to meets the challenges of high school, while work hard to get a high school diploma and a job immediately after. They are hungry for a book that connects with them, and an opportunity to read something relevant to their lives.
My Project
I teach a creative writing class in inner-city Minneapolis to Juniors and Seniors at the third biggest school in the city. The population is extremely diverse, and serves southern Minneapolis area and approximately 1700 students. There are two sections of upperclassmen in Creative Writing, and they need texts to read to help improve their own writing.
Fight Club is a visceral, gripping, and ultimately real novel that pulls in students who have had little previous success in English class.
I've taught it in small groups in the past, and the student response has been overwhelming; for many, this is the first 'adult' novel that they've read, and I was told by many students that it was the only book they actually finished cover-to-cover in high school.
We currently have 25 copies, and in order to reach both classes of my students we need about 40 more. Thank you so much for your help, and know that you are making a difference in the education of those who really need it!
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