"Be not afraid of discomfort. If you can't put yourself in a situation where you are uncomfortable, then you will never grow. You will never change. You'll never learn." Jason Reynolds's words ring true for my 9th and 10th ELA students who are academically motivated, future leaders, working to make sense of the turbulent world around them. Compassionate and curious, these students want to effect change. However, they need help in doing so.
My students crave literature that pushes them beyond the limited scope of narratives they have been exposed to.
In this way, they can experience the "discomfort and growth" as a result of reading more contemporary and relevant voices of the 21st century.
My Project
With these new texts, students will be exposed to more contemporary literature and read narratives from diverse authors. All too often, students are required to read literature from a primarily white male focus, or from an outdated perspective. Unfortunately, these limited voices prevent an accurate portrayal of the times we live in.
Reading both Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake and Jason Reynolds' All American Boys, will allow my students to gain a deeper understanding of identity and belonging in America.
Using these texts, students will be asked to reflect on their own experiences, as well as larger concepts of oppression, culture, power, and voice. Through a windows and mirrors lens, students will reflect on the universal truths of the human condition. More importantly, they will confront realities far different from their own. In this way, students will emerge better able to effect change in these turbulent times.
More than a third 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
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 Mrs. Selinger and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
