My students need a classroom library stocked with books that will speak to them on their level about issues that will interest them and expand their minds. The 44 titles include "Flowers in the Attic," the Drama High stories, and "The Fault in Our Stars."
This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
When the school year started, I feared that I might have classrooms full of reluctant readers. As it turns out, my students are going through books like crazy!
Unfortunately, my students have very limited access to our school library because it is often closed.
They sometimes have to share books and, therefore, cannot take them home. Often, my students have limited or no access to a public library.
Our classroom library is currently limited to a few sparsely-populated shelves. This is not a new reality for my students; our school is in a high-poverty area where resources are scarce and, statistically, high school students have a better chance of dropping out than of graduating.
My students attend an alternative school where such rates are even higher. By the time they reach high school, most of my students are literally years behind their higher-income peers in terms of reading and writing ability. Most of my students are extremely frustrated with school. Many see little or no value in a high school diploma.
Still, when presented with highly-engaging material, my students take full advantage of the opportunity to learn.
My Project
A classroom library full of interesting and accessible material can change my students' lives. When they have books that they can connect with and relate to, my students enjoy reading. Once they have realized that reading can be fun - not boring - they are willing to branch out and choose more challenging titles about a wider range of subjects. With a diverse, well-stocked classroom library, my students will be able to build a lifelong love of reading, which will enable them to do many things, including: 1) improve their overall reading levels, thus performing better on standardized tests like the ACT and on coursework in high school, college, and beyond, 2) gain insight into other cultures, ways of living, ideas, and beliefs, thus learning empathy, and 3) gain confidence in themselves and their academic abilities.
For many of my students, my classroom is the last stop before graduating high school and entering "the real world." For some, this could be one last chance to learn essential reading skills for college or the workforce.
For others, gaining confidence in their abilities as readers and students could be the difference between earning a high school diploma or dropping out. Those of us who love to read understand how much difference one book can make. This is my students' chance to find that book.
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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 Ms. Gerke and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.