Read the Rainbow: Diversifying Our Classroom Library

Funded Jul 6, 2020

I have the great privilege of teaching 15 kindergarten and first graders in a classroom during a global pandemic and an economic, political, and social rollercoaster. This year is unlike all others. Hand sanitizer is more frequently used than our crayons, and wipes are more valuable than a lost glue stick cap. Keeping masks on faces is more important than tying our shoes, and sometimes a surprise sneeze sets everyone edge. My kids are my life. With your generous donations, you brought color to our classroom and continue to help us Read the Rainbow.

In our classroom, we use special books like these in a few great ways. I LOVE to read to my class; I love inviting my students into a new story that we can discuss and learn from. What I love more than reading to my class is sharing my books with them. Students are able to pick books from our themed shelf and read the words and pictures; for example, for the month of October, we had Hispanic Heritage Month, LGBTQ+ Month, Indigenous Peoples' Day, Fall, and Halloween books. They are able to pick books based on what we have read and reread stories, ask questions, and learn at a deeper level. Some books are mixed in to our themed bins for students to read daily during our reading time and to take home to share with their families; my students love asking me to take home these books to share with their grown ups at home.

With your help and great generosity, these books have allowed us to grow as individuals and bring us together to be a strong classroom family amidst everything going on and 1 brief quarantine where we stayed connected through virtual learning. The topics of these books range from social-emotional topics like anxiety, empathy, and bravery to identity, inclusion, and experiences of others. Your generosity provided diverse and inclusive books for my students that colored our library with new, different, important stories. The books continue to help provide knowledge, respect, power, and confidence to my students who are able to see themselves in these books.

Thank you for helping us Read the Rainbow!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Rappa