The most exciting thing about teaching my students is knowing that they are beginning the last stage of their childhood. These kids are beginning their transition into adulthood and becoming more mature and more aware of who they want to be. They are optimistic for their futures and I want to give them every advantage that I can.
The habits my students form now will be the habits that they bring with them into college and their adult lives.
One of my goals as their teacher, is to help them develop or discover good habits that can not only make them successful but also enrich their adult lives.
I know that many of my students wouldn't take English if it weren't required, but that doesn't mean that they can't learn to enjoy reading and writing.
My Project
Nothing opens up a person's mind and their world view like reading. Short of real-life experiences, reading is the best way for us to learn. Reading makes us better people. We learn important life lessons by reading about characters similar to us and we learn to have empathy by reading about those who seem different and seeing that we have more in common with them than we had imagined. Unfortunately, many kids are less likely to book up a book than every before. Technology is so invasive in our lives now that it can be hard to find time to slow down and enjoy a a good story. If this behavior isn't fostered in kids while they are in school, they may never discover the importance of reading good stories.
Graphic novels are a gateway to becoming life-long readers.
Kids who read graphic novels are more likely to read traditional books as well. Graphic novels are great because they help students who might otherwise struggle with reading to visualize the story and understand characters and events on a deeper level than before.
I want to offer more graphic novels in my classroom to help my students discover a love for reading and to help them expand their horizons and their understanding of the world and that people all over the world have more things that pull us together than things that push us apart.
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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. McGrath and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
