Freshmen students have a lot going on in their lives. Fresh out of middle school, they have to quickly adjust to the pressures of high school - more classes, more peer dynamics, more tests and projects, more involvement in clubs and activities. All of this is compounded by the pressure of grades and normal teenager trials and tribulations.
I enjoy teaching freshmen because they are ready for the next phase of their education.
Ninth grade is a fresh start and being their teacher means that I can help them be who they are hoping to be. Creating a classroom culture of independent reading is one of the ways my students grow as individuals. Throughout the year, each student reads many different books, according to their tastes and their abilities. I see true growth happen when they are given freedom, time, and support to become readers.
While becoming a strong independent reader is crucial, I would also like to build in opportunities to have common reading experiences around highly engaging books that can be accessible to all students, no matter their reading ability.
My Project
Helping my students find novels in verse has been a game-changer. Novels in verse tell complete stories, allowing us to work on comprehension, character development, theme - all the hallmarks of traditional novels.
Novels in verse are beautiful creations, allowing students to see how poetry can be used to tell a story.
In tandem with their high literary value, novels in verse build confidence in reluctant readers because they can read quickly and be less intimidated by the amount of words on every page.
I would love to have enough of these novels for students to participate in a book club.
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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 Mrs. Hurt and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
