My students are great. They are future scholars (mostly!) and excellent citizens. They are fortunate to attend one of the most diverse schools in the country. They take advantage of this diversity and learn from each others' cultures and traditions. I especially appreciate the 10-15 students who regularly come to my room at lunch to play chess. Our school is in the heart of Los Angeles, but it also has a good neighborhood feel. I am lucky to be here!
My Project
Many of the novel sets available to use in my classroom fail to resonate with students who have no cultural connection to what they are reading. To a certain extent, this is fine - they learn about people who are different than they are. It is also important, however, to make sure all cultures and experiences are represented at some point during the school year.
Monster fills a void.
The young African-American protagonist is relatable to many of my students in a way that, say, Bilbo Baggins or Anne Frank, is not. Middle School kids need to develop a love of reading. This culturally relevant text will help many of them.
More than half 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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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Westhoff and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.