I teach in a very diverse school that serves low-income and even homeless students. They are faced with many challenges both in and out of the classroom. All students at my school receive free nutrition. I am looking to keep things simple and provide my students with creative and meaningful learning experiences in the classroom through engaging literature that deals with difficult topics in novel, creative ways.
My students are critical thinkers, eager to and capable of engaging with difficult topics and creative works.
They long to read books written by writers that represent and portray diversity.
They like to read, but they are weary of the traditional canon. Many of them are being raised in single parent households; some have no parents at all. From the minute they walk in the door of my classroom, I focus on their potential and growth while they are with me. I may not be able to provide for them at home, but I want to do all I can to give them the best education possible. Please help me by supporting this book drive.
My Project
This project, like my first, is simple in its goal but has far-reaching impact. Too frequently these days our students are inundated with nothing but excerpts and selections from novels, plays, and even works of non-fiction. Yet, the payoff of reading great works of literature in their entirety is well documented. Unfortunately, many of the works available in full are not only old and dated materially, they are outdated in terms of a new, more diversified canon of American Literature.
My student will read Octavia Butler's novel "Parable of the Sower," the odyssey of a sensitive young woman set in a world that has become almost completely dehumanized.
My students will love the challenging ideas and that the novel is set in California in the years 2024 through 2027.
Sometimes something as simple as a great book can help students who are struggling to let go of their digital devices, can help rejuvenate a commitment to diversity, and can even inspire the next young woman or man to follow in Octavia Butler's footsteps.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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 Mr. Weise and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
