This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
When given a chance to read, about 70 percent of my students do so happily. They love being given the time to read books they are interested in. For the other 30 percent of my students, it's all about putting the right book within their reach. When I am able to ask them about what interests them and pull a book off my shelves to recommend to them, that's when the magic happens.
Nothiong is more rewarding than having a reluctant reader say, "You got me reading, Ms Z!"
It fuels my passion to keep getting books they're interested in so that they are never at a loss for something they want to read.
My Project
The truth is, in addition to all the comparisons of literary elements we can do with these books, reading also helps students be more well-rounded. Whether they're expanding their perspective on a topic they didn't previously know much about, gaining empathy by seeing characters face challenges they must overcome, building their vocabulary, or just helping them be able to read over longer periods of time, reading builds them up.
But students find greater value in reading by having choice in what they read, and my well-worn copies aren't as inspiring as they used to be.
I am asking for copies of fourteen books including Dear Martin, The Book Thief, and Tyrell.
I need to always have a book or two left on my shelves for each student as they finish their current book, so there's no lull in the reading or the motivation. Right now, what's left on my shelves are well-worn and there's not much to choose from that's new and exciting. That's why the beauty of having a well-stocked classroom library, where I can introduce new and exciting titles, is my passion. If I have the books, I can get them reading. The word spreads about how good the book is, and then the copies transfer from teen hands (and hearts) over and over again... And with all the reading they'll be required to do in high school and beyond, isn't that a great gift, to be be able to help them build their reading stamina with books they enjoy?
Please help me add fuel to their love of reading. I know that they want to read these fourteen books because I asked them to help me put together the list of titles; we will get a lot of use out of them. Thank you!!
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 Ms. Zdenek and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
