My students are often underestimated for being any of the following: young men, of color, students whose first language is not English, boys, working class, reluctant. However, I know these single stories are untrue. Rather, my students are simply waiting for the opportunity to be brilliant. They want to become excellent readers. They want to be scholars. They want to make someone proud. Far too often, though, they don't get a second chance.
The majority of my students are in my class (a low-track English class) for various reasons, but I'm quite positive that the same majority could do quite well in upper level classes. They need to become better readers, though. We read daily. I conference with them. They have reading goals of completing 12 books for the semester. They are just starting to realize that they can be great.
About my class
My students are often underestimated for being any of the following: young men, of color, students whose first language is not English, boys, working class, reluctant. However, I know these single stories are untrue. Rather, my students are simply waiting for the opportunity to be brilliant. They want to become excellent readers. They want to be scholars. They want to make someone proud. Far too often, though, they don't get a second chance.
The majority of my students are in my class (a low-track English class) for various reasons, but I'm quite positive that the same majority could do quite well in upper level classes. They need to become better readers, though. We read daily. I conference with them. They have reading goals of completing 12 books for the semester. They are just starting to realize that they can be great.
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