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.
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The first reaction you get from a student when you mention the word "poetry" is "YUCK". It's more from a lack of exposure than anything else. The first book my 8th graders had to read was "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander. The entire book is written in verse, and all my students ate it up. Even students who didn't like basketball loved this book. They were thirsty for more. When I told them there was a prequel that followed the life of the father from "The Crossover", they were excited. Because of the pandemic, teaching reading has been challenging, but I have inspired many of them to read more. If I could get the prequel "Rebound" by Kwame Alexander, in their hands, I wouldn't be able to put into words how much they would appreciate the opportunity. Most importantly, they are choosing to read, rather than wait for it to be an assignment from a teacher.
About my class
The first reaction you get from a student when you mention the word "poetry" is "YUCK". It's more from a lack of exposure than anything else. The first book my 8th graders had to read was "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander. The entire book is written in verse, and all my students ate it up. Even students who didn't like basketball loved this book. They were thirsty for more. When I told them there was a prequel that followed the life of the father from "The Crossover", they were excited. Because of the pandemic, teaching reading has been challenging, but I have inspired many of them to read more. If I could get the prequel "Rebound" by Kwame Alexander, in their hands, I wouldn't be able to put into words how much they would appreciate the opportunity. Most importantly, they are choosing to read, rather than wait for it to be an assignment from a teacher.