This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
Our high school is an urban public school, right in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. 85% of the student body is economically disadvantaged. The student population is 60% LatinX, 31% Asian and Filipino and 5 % Black, which is rather diverse for LA schools and part of what makes the school unique. The downtown LA area is truly a mixture of cultures.
Many of my students were born in another country, or are 1st generation Americans.
And, most students are first in their family to go to college. Many students are very aware of the sacrifices that were involved in bringing their families to the US, and they put an enormous amount of pressure on themselves to succeed.
My Project
Currently, I am an English teacher at a high school, and if I want students to read a novel I have to use whatever books are available in the book room. The titles available are all "classic" titles written at reading levels above the average reading level of some of my classes. An honors level class is satisfied with reading books like Hamlet or Raisin in the Sun, but when teaching the regular classes, where average reading levels in one period are 6 years behind grade level, the motivation to read the classics plummets.
I believe, from my teaching experiences and the professional research I have done over the years, that struggling readers can be much more successful with titles that reflect their own culture heritage and/or explore modern topics that students can make connections with.
I am ordering 12 copies each of these titles so that I can do Literature Circles, where students read the same title with their group and then have scheduled meetings with the teacher to discuss the reading. These three titles would add so much to the quality of reading experiences student could have during the literature circles.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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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 Ms. Kroener-Valdivia and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
