Hello! I am an 8th grade English teacher and department chair for an inner city Title I school in Richmond, Virginia. I teach a total of 100-124 students each year who come from all different walks of life; however, they are all very wonderful and bright students who are eager to learn new things. One of the new things that would truly benefit our students is having access to a diverse selection of books for independent reading in our class library.
Our school is derived from a very diverse population. Many of our students receive a free or reduced lunch. About fifty percent of our students are of Hispanic American descent, forty-eight percent are of African American descent, and two percent of our students are of Caucasian, Native American, or Pacific Islander descent. Some of our students are first generation Americans, and some students are new to the country, coming from many different areas in the world. Some of our students also have disabilities. ALL of them are wonderful, which is why they are in desperate need of books that represent them, as well as books that introduce them to other experiences and cultures. Our students often state that they don’t see themselves in the books that they read; this is very much the concern of our African American and Hispanic American boys. They would like to see books that reflect their culture in a positive way, as well as stories that relate to their lives and experiences. Additionally, our Hispanic American students do not often read titles that address the lives of Hispanic Americans in the United States. This is important, as many of our students need to see themselves reflected in text as well. It is equally important that students be provided
About my class
Hello! I am an 8th grade English teacher and department chair for an inner city Title I school in Richmond, Virginia. I teach a total of 100-124 students each year who come from all different walks of life; however, they are all very wonderful and bright students who are eager to learn new things. One of the new things that would truly benefit our students is having access to a diverse selection of books for independent reading in our class library.
Our school is derived from a very diverse population. Many of our students receive a free or reduced lunch. About fifty percent of our students are of Hispanic American descent, forty-eight percent are of African American descent, and two percent of our students are of Caucasian, Native American, or Pacific Islander descent. Some of our students are first generation Americans, and some students are new to the country, coming from many different areas in the world. Some of our students also have disabilities. ALL of them are wonderful, which is why they are in desperate need of books that represent them, as well as books that introduce them to other experiences and cultures. Our students often state that they don’t see themselves in the books that they read; this is very much the concern of our African American and Hispanic American boys. They would like to see books that reflect their culture in a positive way, as well as stories that relate to their lives and experiences. Additionally, our Hispanic American students do not often read titles that address the lives of Hispanic Americans in the United States. This is important, as many of our students need to see themselves reflected in text as well. It is equally important that students be provided
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