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Ms. Finkley-Smith's Classroom Edit display name

  • Gardner Pilot Academy
  • Allston, MA
  • More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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Adolescence is a time when young people are crafting stories about themselves, who they are, and how they understand the world and others. Literature has the power to inform and transform the way adolescents see themselves and others. Representation in literature matters. My goals is to provide students with quality literature that showcases characters that look like them, explain and represent their beliefs, show their cultural practices, and honor their diversity. By providing students with diverse texts, students will feel a sense of validation and develop a stronger sense of self all the while helping them to make sense of what they are feeling and experiencing. In addition to this, it provides insight into the feelings and experiences of others. Most importantly, it amplifies the voices of the voiceless, while encouraging students to practice utilizing their agency to rise above challenges they may encounter. My ultimate goal is to provide my students with valuable reading experiences that value their identities, encourage them to process texts with a critical and ethical lens, develop their sense of empathy, and create a love for reading. These books would increase diverse representation in my classroom library as well as allow my students greater access to high-quality books with diverse characters.

About my class

Adolescence is a time when young people are crafting stories about themselves, who they are, and how they understand the world and others. Literature has the power to inform and transform the way adolescents see themselves and others. Representation in literature matters. My goals is to provide students with quality literature that showcases characters that look like them, explain and represent their beliefs, show their cultural practices, and honor their diversity. By providing students with diverse texts, students will feel a sense of validation and develop a stronger sense of self all the while helping them to make sense of what they are feeling and experiencing. In addition to this, it provides insight into the feelings and experiences of others. Most importantly, it amplifies the voices of the voiceless, while encouraging students to practice utilizing their agency to rise above challenges they may encounter. My ultimate goal is to provide my students with valuable reading experiences that value their identities, encourage them to process texts with a critical and ethical lens, develop their sense of empathy, and create a love for reading. These books would increase diverse representation in my classroom library as well as allow my students greater access to high-quality books with diverse characters.

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About my class

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