The students in my classroom are at the optimal age to start developing their own thoughts and opinions. These students are only two short years away from graduating high school and entering the real world. Imagine my surprise when I found out the majority of my students had not read a book on their own since elementary school. I was heartbroken!
Some students expressed that they had loved reading when they were younger but as they got older they simply stopped because they only had access to books they could not relate to.
I knew that it was up to me to give these students access to diverse literature to spark their love once again.
In my classroom we celebrate inclusion. There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to their level of reading. In order to encourage students to read independently it is crucial to give them access to books that are challenging but not discouraging.
My Project
All American Boys will be used as our whole class novel this Fall. Currently, I have half of a class set and just need 12 more copies. This engaging story will get student buy-in right away which will set the tone for the rest of the school year.
It is my hope to change the way independent reading has been in the past.
This year I am implementing book clubs. These clubs will group students and allow them to choose a book on their own to read separately from our whole class novel. Books that are in groups of 4-5 will be used as an option for groups that may not have access to resources needed to find a book on their own. By having several of these options students are not stripped of their choice.
Individual books will be added to our classroom for those readers that never put down a good book! It is my goal to have a huge classroom library so my bookworm students have plenty of options.
By funding this project you will be giving my students the chance to further enhance their critical thinking skills and experience whole new perspectives. Remember, they are only 2 short years away from the real world! It is crucial for them to be well-developed readers and thinkers.
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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. Casey and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
