I teach 4th and 5th grade students who truly love to learn, but have inhibitions about reading. They come from homes where both parents usually are working full time, and do not have time to incorporate reading into their busy family routines. These kids need a little push to read, and ultimately fall in love with reading.
This past year, a shocking fact about my classroom library was exposed to me by my students!
My students were so motivated to get better at reading that many of them doubled their reading goals. Their inquisitive nature allowed them to choose books outside their comfort zones and made them realize they had new reading interests. This growth allowed them to become exceptional readers and helped them to achieve their full reading potential.
This growth also uncovered some important facts about my classroom library. Many of my books are outdated and not very appealing to the students, the more popular books are wearing out and falling apart, and the students read so many books that they couldn't find anything else to read. I also realized that I don't have as many books as I thought!
My Project
This new book shelf will allow me to keep adding fresh books to excite my students throughout the year. I think it is important to keep adding new books to the shelf each month based on students' interests.
New book series, like Harry Potter and Series of Unfortunate Events, entice students to read the first book in the series and then hook them to keep reading!
When this happens, it makes it easier for kids to choose their next book which can sometimes be a challenge for some students.
As time goes by and they finish the series they read, they have more confidence in their reading abilities and feel more comfortable to try new reading adventures.
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. Manzello and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
