My students need books, in sets of six copies each, by diverse authors and featuring diverse characters, including Tales Our Abuelitas Told, I'll Always Write Back, and None of the Above.
Middle schoolers are, above all else, curious about people---a curiosity that can be quenched through literature.
Most of my students come from families living in poverty, about 70% of whom speak other languages at home.
A quarter of my students have special needs. We are a rich and diverse community, with different experiences and perspectives. My students are, by turns, kind, empathetic, humorous, sensitive, grouchy, and cruel. They are figuring out the people they want to become. Some of my students will tell you that they don't like school, but I've never met a student who was truly never excited to learn---about people, places, ideas, and themselves.
My Project
My students need six each of books by diverse authors and featuring diverse characters, including Tales Our Abuelitas Told, I'll Always Write Back, and None of the Above. With these text sets, my students will be able to have literature circles, guided reading groups, and book clubs where they can read stories by and about people who reflect their identities. Students will be able to see themselves and their classmates in these stories, and will be able to bring their own cultures and languages into the academic discourse of our community.
There are twelve different languages spoken in my classroom this year, by students of all different races, genders, orientations, and abilities.
Each of these children deserve to engage with literature that reflects their cultures and identities, and those of their classmates. Representation matters to student learning, motivation, and self-esteem.
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