Help me give my students individual books reflecting their various identities and needs to build excitement for independent reading in and out of class.
$736 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
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 come from all walks of life. In each class, I have dependents of active military, first and second generation immigrants, students who have or are currently experiencing homelessness or the foster care system, differently-abled students, students navigating their own complicated gender identities, and so, so many others. Many are living below the poverty line, and don't always have access to books at home (or at school) that are interesting and relevant to their lives and identities.
I'll never forget the moment last year when a student of Samoan heritage came to me and said "I read a lot of books, but this is the first time I've had books to read that weren't just about white people." It is crucial for students of all backgrounds and identities to see themselves represented in literature, and not just as background characters.
As I've worked to acquire more diverse titles for my classroom, more and more students (many who entered my class on the first day of school declaring "I DON'T read" became interested in giving reading a chance.
My Project
When we gave them new books, they read. When we gave them books that reflect their identities, they read. When we gave them book club books, they read, and then they entered into discourse with friends and strangers, defended opinions, explained viewpoints, and discovered ways of thinking outside their norms. In short, when we gave them books, they learned.
Thanks to the donors in summer, my ninth and tenth grade students (many of whom rated their love of reading below a five out of ten at the beginning of the year), are excited to be reading.
They were ready to throw down in order to get the book club they most desired, and many have finished their books two to three weeks early and are asking for more. In the most recent survey I gave, only a handful of students rated their enjoyment of reading below a 5/10, and many students enjoyment levels jumped up by two to four points.
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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. Zdeb and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
