Help me give my students books that better reflect and represent them so they can see themselves in great literature, make real-life connections to these stories, and celebrate our diversity in our classroom every day.
As a kindergarten teacher in Onslow County, my class is all inclusive – comprised of English Language Learners, students who receive Special Education services, and general education students. Our school has the highest rate of poverty in the district with seventy percent of our students receiving free or reduced lunch. Being a Title I school, our students come from difficult family situations - whether it’s because of socioeconomic issues or due to the stress of being a military child. School is oftentimes their refuge and safe haven. This school year, they have shown significant resilience after Hurricane Florence!
Despite personal obstacles, our students come to school curious to learn and hungry for knowledge.
We want to continue nurturing that curiosity and desire to learn despite the economic and emotional stressors at home.
My Project
My students are one-of-a-kind, unique and diverse children that represent various racial and ethnic cultures. Each day we read a story in class for our morning literacy block. While our classroom has many books, the collection needs to be desperately updated to truly represent my students and their families.
My students need books with characters and storylines that better represent their rich cultures.
Books are a critical element of learning to read, and books with characters that my students can relate to and will draw them in. Connecting with the text and processing the information presented will be more accessible and relevant with characters they can relate to.
The books I have listed below feature lead characters that are African American, Hispanic or Latino, have special needs and come from different family constructs. Authenticity is the hallmark of the books selected.
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