Representation Matters- Honoring Students Through Inclusive Mentor Texts
Help me give my students books that can serve as mentor texts for writer's craft and author's message that reflect the beautiful and unique members of our community.
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
These are unprecedented times. Never did I imagine that when my students and I said goodbye in March it would mean that it was our last day in the classroom.
After my students and I embarked on our distance learning journey, I realized some new resources could take our learning to the next level!
We actively engaged in all sorts of different online platforms and learned new things. With next school year in mind, I would love to transform my library of mentor texts to reflect a more diverse and inclusive narrative. Using these books via GoogleMeet and uploading pieces of the text for writer's craft discussions, asynchronous and synchronous learning options will benefit from more stories! Representation matters and as we gear up for next school year with many unknown factors, I want to be certain that I am prepared to educate each of my students on more than just what is in a textbook. History is being made, I want them to be a part of it.
My Project
My students adore read-alouds in the classroom. Keeping this wonderful story-telling tradition alive, I want these readers and writers to have ample mentor texts, especially during distance learning. Now more than ever, students need to feel a sense of belonging and community. I want each of my students to know their value and worth, and that starts with the conscious decisions I make in lesson planning.
As I have reflected about my teaching pedagogy and the resources I have been using for student learning, I see a large disparity in the voices that are being recognized.
I want my students to see themselves reflected in the stories we read. These books will be used to host important conversations about our own identities, as well as offering writer's craft and author's message mentor texts. Many lessons can be created based off just one text. The stories that I have requested will allow students to start the important work we all must do- challenge our implicit bias and use critical thinking skills and empathy and understanding to shape our worldview. Teachers, administrators, and students, both past and present, understand the vital role that education holds to creating civic-minded citizens and leaders. I want the stories that my students hear to be representative of the change for good that we all long for in our society. I need my students to learn about the examples set from change-makers of the past, and to read about the similarities they hold to these leaders. History is always being made; this project can help my students learn about others and themselves. What a truly wonderful gift that is.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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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. Brantley and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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