This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
What is the significance of our existence? How will we be remembered after we are gone? What makes life meaningful? I am hoping my students will have an opportunity to grapple with these important questions while studying The Fault in Our Stars.
My students are predominantly African-American and Latino, and they come from some of the most violent and impoverished neighborhoods in our state.
As learners and thinkers, my students possess a remarkable capacity for creative expression. They are astonishingly brave in the risks they take to express an idea or communicate a feeling. However, when navigating print texts or utilizing written prose as a medium of expression, their reach often exceeds their grasp.
In a typical 11th grade class at my school the reading levels vary from students at a 3rd grade level to students capable of reading Toni Morrison. Many of my students were not exposed to reading on a consistent basis during crucial years of their formative development. As such, some of my students need intensive work to repair literacy deficits stemming from their early years, while others need to be challenged even further in their reading.
My Project
I believe that literacy skills are crucial in preparing students for the rigors of college-level work. The ability to read and write is often a determining factor in the choices and options one has in life after high school. The bedrock of my literacy program is book clubs (or literature circles). With book clubs, I have seen much higher levels of student engagement and accountability around reading. However, a key element of book clubs is providing texts that are both challenging and engaging. I am certain that The Fault in Our Stars will be invaluable as an instrument to foster student engagement and help my students take their literacy skills to the next level.
The literacy skills of many students in our country are in peril. However, to effectively remedy this situation, students must be provided with texts that are relevant to their daily experience of the world. The Fault in Our Stars will be a vital cornerstone in the work I do with my students during this year.
Donations to this project will directly impact the classroom experience of a wide range of students who are engaged in the crucial work of increasing their literacy levels.
The Fault in Our Stars will be an extremely valuable entry point for my most reluctant readers. This book will be an important stepping stone on their path towards becoming life-long readers.
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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 Mr. Doyle and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.