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
My students are all diverse learners. They have varying disabilities, and they participate in the academic setting with their peers. Some of the students I work with have significant reading deficits that hinder their ability to read texts at grade level independently. Students who read significantly below grade level can face embarrassment because of their difficulty reading grade-appropriate texts. Furthermore, there are many instances where the books a student reads independently are not on mature topics that they are interested in.
Graphic novels have provided a real turning point for many of my students and their peers.
My students and their peers have found a common interest in their love of graphic novels. I love seeing my students pick up books and truly enjoy independent reading time!
My Project
My project focuses on providing graphic novels for middle school students who read below their grade level. Students participate in independent reading time daily in their reading class. We call this time "DEAR: Drop Everything and Read."
For students who struggle with reading, this time can be embarrassing for so many.
Middle school is a tough time: students want to feel accepted by their peers, included in friend groups, and included in classroom participation. Graphic novels have provided a real turning point for many of my students and their peers. My students and their peers love graphic novels; these texts have helped so many students develop a love of reading. Graphic novels are high-interest and lower-reading level texts that provide a format of text that allows even the most struggling readers a wonderful opportunity to independently read the same texts as their peers, facilitating a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and accomplishment among students.
I try to provide as many graphic novels and other high-interest low-readability books as I can, but I would love to have a collection in my classroom for students to enjoy every day throughout the year.
(All graphic novels are kept in a cabinet in the resource room but can be checked out by students with disabilities as well as general education students. Students then take a short comprehension quiz on each text.)
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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. L and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
