Past projects 13
Mirrors and Windows #2: Books to Reflect My Diverse Students
Funded Jan 18, 2022Thank you so much for contributing to what was a VERY successful year of reading for my students. In the beginning of the year, when many of them come to me quite reluctant to read, I explain to my students that books can often serve as either Mirrors or Windows. Books can be mirrors that reflect back some of our own experiences to us; they can also be windows, offering us insight into worlds and characters that differ from ourselves. Both of these concepts are powerful and necessary as we grow in our reading skills and our understanding of the world we live in.
Thanks to your efforts, we supplemented our classroom library with books that fit both of these categories. I had students who were IMMEDIATELY drawn to a book because the protagonist on the cover looked like them. Conversely, many students found themselves lost in stories about cultures and experiences very different from their own. I watched my students gain enthusiasm for our treasured daily reading time. They talked about their books together, got excited when they found themselves reading the same novels, and always had their eye on a "next book" being displayed on my shelves.
Two quotes from my students stuck with me that particularly connect with this project. Bianca M. finished a book in three days because "I've never read a book here that has Guatamalan people as protagonists. . . my family was so excited!" Javonte M. and his mom were so happy to see people of color on his book, that his mom bought herself a copy too, and "now [they] talk about it when they eat dinner."
Thank you again for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Plourde
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 6 other donors.Mirrors and Windows: New Books to Reflect my Diverse Students
Funded Jan 18, 2022Thank you so much for contributing to what was a VERY successful year of reading for my students. In the beginning of the year, when many of them come to me quite reluctant to read, I explain to my students that books can often serve as either Mirrors or Windows. Books can be mirrors that reflect back some of our own experiences to us; they can also be windows, offering us insight into worlds and characters that differ from ourselves. Both of these concepts are powerful and necessary as we grow in our reading skills and our understanding of the world we live in.
Thanks to your efforts, we supplemented our classroom library with books that fit both of these categories. I had students who were IMMEDIATELY drawn to a book because the protagonist on the cover looked like them. Conversely, many students found themselves lost in stories about cultures and experiences very different from their own. I watched my students gain enthusiasm for our treasured daily reading time. They talked about their books together, got excited when they found themselves reading the same novels, and always had their eye on a "next book" being displayed on my shelves.
Two quotes from my students stuck with me that particularly connect with this project. Bianca M. finished a book in three days because "I've never read a book here that has Guatamalan people as protagonists. . . my family was so excited!" Javonte M. and his mom were so happy to see people of color on his book, that his mom bought herself a copy too, and "now [they] talk about it when they eat dinner."
Thank you again for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Plourde
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 3 other donors.Notebooks, Novels, and iNteraction: Building Skills and Rebuilding Community
Funded Nov 10, 2021Thank you so very much for donating to this project. Your generosity has rejuvenated our classroom library and, in turn, my students' love for reading. It has been wonderful to see so many of my high schoolers excited about the books they are reading. Some days they come to class breathless with excitement to share with me what's been happening in their novels. Other days, they are so proud to have finished a book . . . and they already have their eye on a new one they want to read.
This sort of reading stamina is so crucial to prepare them for some of the challenging reading that lies ahead. These books also help them to see themselves in some of the literature they read.
Our notebooks have helped us keep track of all the great things we are learning, new words we are discovering, and future book titles we can't wait to read. In addition, your donation helped fund stickers (which high school kids still LOVE) and cooperative games to promote conversation, classroom culture, and social-emotional learning. Thank you again for helping me to reach my students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Plourde
This classroom project was brought to life by Nevada Department of Education.