A Diverse Classroom Library That Students Can Get Excited About!

Funded Oct 18, 2023

Thank you again for your contributions to my project to help get more books in students' hands. This last semester was a huge success in launching my SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) project with my juniors. Four days a week, students sat quietly for 15-20 minutes at the beginning of class to read a book of their choice. The difference this made in our classroom culture was PALPABLE! It's a wonder what a little silent time reading can do for the restless spirit.

Initially, we had some resistance--would it surprise you to know that many students don't read for fun these days? But after students saw that their options were much more varied and diverse than they had anticipated, it took very little effort to get them on board. Now I have many students who look forward to SSR merely because they can relax and enjoy a text of their own choosing.

For many students, I have found that this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship with their own independent reading life. Thank you for helping my students see that there is more to reading than annotating, essays, and exams. :)”

With gratitude,

Mr. Mendelson