My students are reflective of the diversity you find in Arizona: they are primarily Hispanic, Caucasian, Native American, and African American.. The socioeconomic divide is wide, which mirrors our rural community. Some teens ride a bus from the reservation an hour away, some a bus from across town, and some walk from a nearby neighborhood.
While my students are diverse, literacy and information is the common currency of a successful school and life experience.
Poverty is prevalent in our community, and education is the great equalizer. If change begins with ourselves, I would like to add book club sets on our school library book catalog. Teachers will then be able to check them out and utilize the "book club" model for instruction.
My Project
We want students to either gain or continue to have access to interesting books that are relevant to their lives. In English classrooms, most experiences with literature are with books that are assigned to them, often with dire consequences.
These critically acclaimed books are thought-provoking and will encourage reflection and conversation with other students.
As students develop of a love of reading, they will want to continue their pathway as a reader.
Social justice is a current topic; I believe students can put themselves in others' shoes using the books in this project. Students at our schools are sometimes divided by controversial topics. These books will provide the segue to discuss topics that are uncomfortable such as racism, cultural diversity, and overcoming adversity. Can books save lives? I believe they can.
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. Morris-Wilkey and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
