Teaching Social Responsibility Through High-interest Books

My Students

Have you ever been changed by a good book? Many of my students have yet to discover the virtues of losing oneself in a good story.

My students attend an all-girls Title 1 public school in New York City.

Our school's focus is on math and science, so many are surprised when they arrive on their first day of 6th grade and find themselves sitting in a literacy class. My course outline is usually met with gasps, groans, snarls, and lots of grumbling. "She wants us to read?", their faces seem to say, "She wants us to write? Is she crazy? We aren't writers!" Despite their initial hesitations, many change their perspective as the year goes on, and I've learned that the key to changing their minds is book selection. Getting to know my students helps me find books that I know will be of interest, and when that door opens, I can begin to get past their fears and insecurities about reading and writing and start helping them get in touch with their inner literacy luminaries!

My Project

My girls are in desperate need of a classroom library that is filled with culturally relevant, high-interest, young adult writing. Having a selection of quality books within reach during our class time will help even the most resistant readers feel comfortable choosing a book off the shelf; essentially giving that book a chance to engage and impress the student. My course teaches reading and writing skills through the lens of social responsibility: a topic that many inner-city students do not have much experience with. These books have been chosen with this topic in mind. These books will give the students the opportunity to explore the many facets of social responsibility through fiction, poetry, short stories, biographies, graphic novels, and other forms of writing. No matter their taste, this classroom library will be sure to pull them into books and give students the chance to know what it feels like to be touched by a book.

Many struggle in my literacy course.

They don't seem to find books that truly inspire them to look deeper into the text, its message, or themselves. Without many resources available at home, many of my students seek access to materials at school. Please help me provide many of my most hesitant readers with books that will genuinely touch them and inspire them to grow and seek the education and comfort that can only come from losing yourself in a good book.