Welcome to my classroom. We're struggling readers with various disabilities, ages 12 - 16.
If you used the term "skills" my students would assume you mean basketball, not reading. Who needs reading skills? They do, but they fought me until I got a few copies of The Crossover.
We're in a Tier 1 district, with 78% on free and reduced lunch.
Our school strives to inspire in the students, that they can be whatever they want, as long as they put in their best effort, and persevere. Consistently, we're one of the top urban middle schools in the state when we test. A big part of our results is that our students believe in themselves and they strive to achieve.
My Project
I am seeking copies of The Crossover, and the sequel, in order to stretch their reading skills, improve their vocabularies, and strengthen their figurative language usage.
Most of my struggling readers come to me on a second to third grade level. We work all year to get to a 5th or 6th grade level. These books, by Mr. Alexander, not only reach them through rhythm and rhyme, but references to basketball, competition, girls, school, parents, and all things that must be conquered on and off the court.
Finding a book that reaches your students is tricky.
Finding books that meet their scholastic and struggling reading needs is even more difficult.
Mr. Alexander gets teens. In particular, he remembers what it was like to be 12 - 15. My urban teens think he must be a former NBA star writing under a pseudonym because he gets them.
Ideally, I'd love to use these in Summer School. Fingers crossed that you can support us.
More than half 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
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