Mr. Isero's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 56

• Sustaining the Kindle Classroom Project

  Funded Dec 30, 2013

  Thank you so much for completing this project and for sustaining the Kindle Classroom Project.

  Over the next six months, with the funds you provided, I will purchase 90 books that my students request. These will be books that my students find interesting, that they're captivated by, that they want to explore.

  Even better, these 90 books will never be lost or unreturned or tattered or worn. That's because they'll always be safe in the Amazon cloud, ready for students in the future to read them.

  Independent reading is extremely important to build students' academic skills as well as their sense of self. Ninth grade is a time of great growth, and reading helps my students forge their identities. I am extremely grateful for your generous contribution to young people and their reading lives.

  The Kindle Library now has 404 books. With this project, the library will grow to nearly 500 titles. Students love to read when they get to choose from a variety of high-interest books. You're making this happen.

  Thank you again.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

• Incarceration And Liberation

  Funded Jun 17, 2013

  Ninth grader Juan approached me the other day in private. He wanted to make sure that what he was about to say was not going to be spread too far. He whispered, "Mr. Isero, I finished the books. What do I do now?"

  Juan was referring to the five books that you, generous donors, provided through "Incarceration and Liberation." Though most students read at least one of the titles, Juan was one of the seven who read all five. For all students -- but in particular for the eight five-for-fivers -- this project was transformative.

  In just a few months, and with just five books, students not only forged a new relationship with reading but also reconceived their identities and possible futures. Demonte said that "school now makes sense" to him. Laura said that she can "see a way through." Douglas said he realized that "prison ain't no glory."

  In addition to connecting with the books and the protagonists, students appreciated the quality of writing, particularly of Jimmy Santiago Baca and Reymundo Sanchez. Reading inspired my students to write more, to see writing as a way to express themselves and to envision new possibilities.

  Thank you so much for contributing to this project. It's clear that getting students to read isn't rocket science. We just need to trust our students and put good books in their hands. With your help, I got to do that, and I'm extremely appreciative. Thank you again.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

• Books For Latina/o Ninth Graders

  Funded Mar 1, 2013

  Thank you very much for your generous donation. Your contribution has already led to some impressive results. Among the highlights:

  1. Juan read *My Bloody Life.* It was the first book he's completed since fifth grade.

  2. Elisa read *Chain Reaction.* It was "[her] favorite book, like, ever!"

  3. Josue, who read just three books Fall semester, has read 5 books since the book shipment arrived. When I asked him why, he replied, "The new books showed that you're serious."

  4. The students are clamoring for more titles by and about Latinos. Their interest is a bit insatiable, but it shows how excited they are.

  Thank you again!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

• A Classroom Set of Kindles!

  Funded Dec 16, 2012

  It has been several months since you funded this project, and the results so far have been very impressive. Thank you very much for your generous donation.

  Here are some highlights:

  1. Since February, students participating in the Kindle program have finished an average of 13 books. That's about 3 books per month. (Last year, the students read an average of 3 books the entire year.)

  2. Students in the Kindle program have improved their reading skills (on an online assessment) an average of 1.8 grade levels since February. Students not in the program have gained 1.0 grade levels.

  3. Reading has become the "cool thing" among the students with Kindles. There is even talk among the administrators to invest money to buy Kindles for the entire ninth grade class next year! Thank you again!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

• Chromebooks to Close the Digital Divide!

  Funded Dec 16, 2012

  Thank you very much for your generous donation! I am happy to report that your contribution has already made a big difference.

  Specifically, here are some highlights:

  1. Students' homework rate has increased to 84 percent from 67 percent. Here's what's interesting: After checking out the Chromebooks once or twice, students continue to do their homework consistently, even when a Chromebook is not available. They report that they've been going to the public library or to a friend's house to use a computer.

  2. The quality of work has increased, particularly student writing. First drafts, because they're completed on Google Drive, are written more thoughtfully and professionally. Students have said that the revision process also "goes farther" because my comments are seen as "more serious." Thank you again!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

• Chromebooks For College Success Portfolios

  Funded Dec 18, 2012

  Brad, thank you very much for your generous donation. It's pretty amazing that you funded the entire project proposal. That means that your contribution resulted in the learning (and joy) of many students!

  Not only are Chromebooks cool, but they also accelerate student learning (for a good price). I've been interviewing students, and 100% of them have said they appreciate the Kindles and wish they could have access to one all the time.

  One student said she could not have completed her college success portfolio without a Chromebook because she does not have an Internet connection at home. She reports that Google Docs and Presentations offer what she needs in order to demonstrate that she deserves to graduate.

  Thank you again!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

• Awaken My Students' Interest in Reading!

  Funded Apr 20, 2012

  Thank you for your very generous donation of a class set of Kate Chopin's The Awakening. It is a very important text for the AP English classroom, and I am thrilled to be able to offer it to our students.

  Leadership High School, like so many schools in the state, has minimal resources, even for such critically important supplies as literature. Your donation of these books will allow me to expand our students' exposure to works of significant literary merit.

  Participation by community members like you is of increasing importance as school budgets continue to decline. Knowing that these books were donated by a generous member of our community is a sign of hope and solidarity to our students and increases their resolve to pursue higher education to enable them to participate with their communities in the way you have so beautifully modeled.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

• The Scarlet Letter: The Best Book Ever!

  Funded Jan 26, 2012

  Thank you, Angela and Anonymous Donors, for your generous contribution to this project. My students absolutely LOVED The Scarlet Letter. It's because, as you know, it's a wonderful book.

  One of the best things about the book is that it teaches students to immerse themselves into difficult syntax and vocabulary. Because the story is so compelling, and because Hawthorne tells it so well, students don't need to understand every individual word in order to be captivated by the novel.

  My students -- especially the girls -- loved Hester, found her courageous, and connected deeply to the themes of isolation/alienation and social expectations. They also loved Hawthorne's ornate prose, specifically his multiple mentions of "ignominious."

  Thank you again for helping make The Scarlet Letter come alive for my students. It's one of those novels that many teachers have cast aside. I think it's more important now than ever.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

• Kindles for All My Students

  Funded Feb 10, 2012

  Thank you, Ms. Dyer and Anonymous Donor, for your generous contribution to my classroom. With the Kindle you donated, we are up to 12 Kindles for student use (all donated!). The Kindles have transformed reading in my classroom. Thank you.

  Each Kindle now has 147 titles, and because of the extensive, high-interest library, my students don't want to give their Kindles back -- even though there are just three weeks left in the school year! I told them I wish I could lend them the Kindles over the summer, but I just can't. This is how interested they are in reading.

  I'm most impressed that the Kindle is getting new students -- who otherwise hadn't read much before -- into becoming avid readers. When you combine the tech factor with the Kindle's other popular features (e.g., change font size, text-to-speech), you motivate reluctant readers. Reading, all of a sudden, is cool, which is so crucial for high school students.

  Again, I am very appreciative. Check out my professional blog, http://iserotope.com, for more details on the Classroom Kindle Project. To get to the posts directly, go to iserotope.com/tag/kindle.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

• Read More Than You Text!

  Funded Jan 9, 2012

  Thank you very much for your generous contribution to my project! My students and I are very grateful to you. Your donation helped students put reading first.

  As you know, reading is fundamental. Students who read have more empathy for others, build stamina in tackling difficult tasks, and have access to more power. They know more than just what's on TV, and they're not distracted as easily by the lures of TV and technology.

  This is what "Read More Than You Text" was all about. Young people today are transfixed by their phones, and unless we challenge them with a compelling alternative, their multi-tasking brains will adapt to disjointed, random bits of information.

  When my students read, they calm down because they enter the author's world. Reading slows down time and allows for flow -- a more peaceful space where students can try on new identities and consider the beliefs and values of others.

  After finishing up a book that you donated, one student said, "I didn't want it to end." It's my job now to connect this student to the next story -- another opportunity to get lost in books instead of lost in texts.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Isero

  This classroom project was brought to life by Gap and 2 other donors.