Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education.
Support her classroom with a gift that fosters learning.
Monthly
One-time
Support Ms. Calkin's classroom with a gift that fosters learning.
Monthly
One-time
Make a donation Ms. Calkin can use on her next classroom project.
Your custom url is /ms-calkin
I have many struggling and disinterested readers in my classes. Some say reading is boring or that they hate it. Some tell me that the library doesn't have the books they like, while others complain that it takes too much of their time.
Despite their complaints, I know no one hates to read; they just haven't found what they like to read yet. Sometimes you just need to try a different angle. For many of my struggling and/or disinterested readers Manga can be and is a great alternative to the typical teen novels we push upon them at every turn. Lulled into a false sense of security by the dynamic pictures, few students realize what complex vocabulary and dialogue they are reading of their own free will and with a great deal of enthusiasm.
For this reason I have filled shelves with over 500 of my own personal Manga books and continually add extra volumes from my own collection as students read and make requests. I have made the books available to any student who is interested regardless of their grade level. However their has been a large number of requests for the Dragon Ball series, from students who have shown no interest in any other books at all. But as any book reader and graphic novel buyer can tell you, starting and maintaining any series gets really expensive really fast.
About my class
I have many struggling and disinterested readers in my classes. Some say reading is boring or that they hate it. Some tell me that the library doesn't have the books they like, while others complain that it takes too much of their time.
Despite their complaints, I know no one hates to read; they just haven't found what they like to read yet. Sometimes you just need to try a different angle. For many of my struggling and/or disinterested readers Manga can be and is a great alternative to the typical teen novels we push upon them at every turn. Lulled into a false sense of security by the dynamic pictures, few students realize what complex vocabulary and dialogue they are reading of their own free will and with a great deal of enthusiasm.
For this reason I have filled shelves with over 500 of my own personal Manga books and continually add extra volumes from my own collection as students read and make requests. I have made the books available to any student who is interested regardless of their grade level. However their has been a large number of requests for the Dragon Ball series, from students who have shown no interest in any other books at all. But as any book reader and graphic novel buyer can tell you, starting and maintaining any series gets really expensive really fast.