Let’s be real. In a lot of ways, this year has been a tough one for teachers and their students. Many public schools across the country remain underfunded and understaffed. Often, students are still working through the learning loss and emotional impact of COVID-19. All while news stories about violence and the divisive political climate light up our screens. 

Despite these challenges, teachers show up for their students every day. As a teacher-founded nonprofit and the most trusted classroom project funding site, we at DonorsChoose know just how meaningful that dedication is. We’re all a little bit better because a teacher helped us along the way — but as Teacher Appreciation Week approaches, we wanted to know what helps them keep going, too. That’s why we asked teachers, “What makes you proud to teach?” Here’s just a few of the powerful answers we got back:

“It's like nothing else when a child has worked so hard at something and the lights finally turn on for them. When they feel proud of their own accomplishments and celebrate those of their classmates', I know I'm doing something of value.”

Call them “aha” or “light bulb” moments. We heard from so many teachers that it’s that incredible moment when a student just “gets it” and reaches an understanding about something in their learning that makes them beam with pride as an educator. 

“These kids have been through a lot. I teach K-5 special education and have had some of my students since before Covid started. We've been through a lot together and seeing how much they have overcome and how well they are doing fills my heart with joy.“

Without a doubt, the pandemic also came up a lot when we asked about what makes educators proud to teach. The level of challenges still being faced in classrooms due to COVID-19, and the continued resilience of students and teachers alike is more than enough to explain why. 

“Seeing my students succeed in any form. From the biggest successes like getting into the middle school they wanted, to the smallest success like finding that missing pencil.”

For a good number of educators, it was all about the small wins and big growing moments like these that made them proud to teach. That’s because DonorsChoose teachers know the little everyday lessons can add up to major achievements when it comes to changing young lives.

“The fact that I can help a student feel more comfortable with learning — to step out and try something new in a safe and nurturing environment. I may not see how it affects the course of their life, but I know for a season, I was able to tend to a child's emotional, physical, and intellectual health.”

Building community in the classroom and providing safe, inclusive environments for their kids was also a major contender from teachers. Teachers understand better than anyone that empowering their students with the tools and classroom space for taking big risks in their learning journeys is essential to great education.

“Having the opportunity to be part of a child's story. I love that my students hunt me down — even 30 years later — to let me know what they are up to!”

Young people will ultimately be the ones deciding the future and that importance was not lost on our educators. Being able to play a key role in a child’s story and the future world they’re growing up in was another big answer from our teachers. 

“For me it has been a journey of a lifetime to be a teacher and I made it this far. I am proud of all the teachers who put so much energy in being the best they can be and I include myself in that. I am proud of my students, no exceptions. We meet each other where we are and go forward.”

Many of our teachers also spoke of the immense pride they had in their fellow educators and how honored they were to be a part of a dedicated community of individuals who are doing so much for their students every day, despite constant challenges. We couldn’t agree more. 

“Despite being overwhelmed, I ❤️ my job. I ❤️ seeing my gems get excited when they have mastered content. It takes a SPECIAL person to be an educator!”

We wanted to end on the answer that likely won’t come as a surprise to you: Overwhelmingly, DonorsChoose teachers answered that the thing that made them most proud to teach? The kids. 

It may have been a tough year in many ways, but these teachers never stopped giving their all to help every student become their best selves. And that’s something to be tremendously proud of.  

The right little things can make the biggest difference. Anyone who reaches for the good scissors knows what we mean. Our Teacher Facebook Community shared their favorite classroom items under $40 that bring a million bucks’ worth of usefulness, relief, or ease to their school day. Take a look and find your new favorite deals!

1. Wireless Doorbell

The 2023 version of the classic school bell? A wireless doorbell! It’s a portable, pocket-sized attention-getter, transition time signal, and voice saver.

“This doorbell has over 50 different chimes that can be changed as the day goes on. The doorbell is wireless, so I will be able to carry the button with me around the classroom. When the students hear the sound, they know to freeze and follow further instructions. Having a device that is able to change sounds will help keep the students on their toes and will get their attention easily.” — Sounds in the Classroom, Mrs. Vernon, Grades PreK-2, North Carolina

2. Timers

This one’s for the easily distracted students, the overly engrossed learners…and the adults. Timers with visual and auditory indicators are a simple way to keep the class on track and reinforce time management skills for everyone.

“My students rely on visual supports to help them navigate our schedule each day. The large color display and audible reminder will help my students remain focused on their task. They will know exactly how long they have to complete an activity, and when they are permitted to take a break. The timers will also help the many adults in my classroom follow our daily schedule.” — No More Time's a Wastin', Mrs. E., Grades 3-5, Ohio

3. Sticky Notes

Vibrant, multi-size sticky notes are possibly the most versatile tool in the classroom. Students can use them as exit tickets, to self-submit answers, to share positive feedback on peer work samples, to flag unknown words in books, and so much more. Can you ever have too many sticky notes?

“We need a lot of vibrant post-its to re-energize our eager readers. Our second graders know that post-it's can be used to stop and jot character traits, predictions, empathetic comments, and when they notice "college words" in their books. ” — Sounds in the Classroom, Mrs. Vernon, Grades PreK-2, North Carolina

4. Pencils

We can’t say it better than this high school math teacher from our Teacher Facebook Community: “PENCILS! There are some battles I refuse to fight and pencils are on that list. Don't have a pencil? Here's one you can have. You need to borrow one every day? Fine! (If they're borrowing every day I make them return it at the end of the hour).”

Pencils in bulk. Just do it. There’s no reason to let a broken or missing pencil disrupt learning for more than the 30 seconds it would take to grab one from your stash.

5. Dry Erase Board

Sometimes all the technology in the world can’t replace the simplicity and ease of its old-school counterpart. Dry erase boards can help enhance cooperative learning, facilitate communication, serve as practice notepads — and save paper! No WiFi required.

“With a dry erase board for each student we will be able to practice writing letters, numbers and eventually words. Being able to carry a dry erase board from location to location allows for learning to continue in multiple areas. My kids love having items that are not common in their lives. Dry erase boards will provide them that. Using a dry erase board is more fun than sitting at a desk and writing on paper.” — Wipe It Off And Write It Again!, Mrs. Gordanier, Grades PreK-2, Missouri

6. Stickers

Mrs. O’Shea in Brooklyn has a very valid question for you: ​​”Wouldn't you love someone to acknowledge the hard work you do every day with a jazzy sticker or a pat on the back?” Teachers in our Facebook Community are reporting skyrocketing scores and student smiles from these timeless classroom incentives. And the options are endless!

“Shopping for stickers is mind blowing. There is such a wide variety of stickers for all ages, out there! There are glitter stickers, holiday stickers, goofy character stickers, angry bird sticker, gold star stickers, cartoon character stickers, Cat in the Hat stickers, reptile stickers, butterfly stickers, inspiring word stickers, just to name a few. Every kid loves to get a sticker and every kid needs a bit of motivation to do a great job on their homework assignments.” — Splendid Stickers for Spectacular Students!, Ms. O'Shea, Grades 3-5, New York

7. Velcro

Giving sticky notes a run for their money as the most versatile classroom tool: Velcro. Here’s a short list of ideas and one awesome project example that uses Velcro in at least four ways.

• Sensory tactiles (Velcro under the desk as a fidget tool!)
• Durable alternative to floor tape
• Name tags
• Anchor charts
• Workplace labels
• Communication boards
• Fine motor skill builders
• Hanging…anything!

8. Play-Doh

A learning tool disguised as a toy, what’s not to love? Play-Doh gives students a hands-on medium for any subject, any lesson. Or for those five minutes between lessons when everyone needs a brain break.

“Academically, my students can use Play-Doh in our literacy centers to identify letters, learn sight words, and towards the end of the year they can use Play-Doh to build sentences using the stamps. Play-Doh can be used in many different ways in our Math and Science centers too! My students can use Play-Doh during the free-choice time to be creative and use their imagination. No two students learn the same way, so the addition of Play-Doh in my classroom allows me one more method to teach my students.” — Squish, Mold, Roll...Where is the Play-Doh, Mrs. V?, Mrs. Vultaggio, Grades PreK-2, Michigan

9. Kwik Paint Sticks

By teacher definition: “Kwik Stix are like a mix between crayons and tempura paint. They make it easy for the child to paint with brilliant, bold colors but no mess. They also give lots of control which is great for a child with fine motor goals.” (Thanks, Ms. Doman!) 

A no-mess option for artistic expression in the classroom? We’ll take three.

“The Kwik Stix are a fun tool for painting, poster making and experimenting with color mixing. Some students don't like painting because it can often be messy and hard to control. These painting sticks make it easy to explore painting without the mess.” — Exploring Kwik Stix in the Painting Center, Ms. Brown, Grades 3-5, New York

10. Pop-its

You may not have heard of these but we guarantee your students have! Teachers in our Facebook Community have found tons of ways to turn these popular stress-relieving fidget toys into bona fide classroom aids for everything from math to reading to sensory tools.

“Pop It Fidget devices have a multitude of possibilities for use within a Kindergarten classroom. We would like to use the Pop Its to support our kiddos in all areas. In reading, we can use the Pop Its to count the number of sounds within a word and to help tap out our words. The Pop Its can also be used to make the shapes of letters. We can use the Pop Its in math to add, create a number and even subtract.” — Pop It Learning!, Ms. Ruder, Grades PreK-2, North Carolina

11. Over-the-ear Headphones

Dreaming of a quieter, more focused classroom? No judgment here – just a great idea for making it happen. Over-the-ear headphones are surprisingly inexpensive and give students independent access to all the audio resources they need.

“My students love using technology in the classroom to aid in their learning. There are a lot of great resources available, but most use audio. Headphones are required so as not to disrupt other students' learning, and allow for more technology to be used during independent work, which is done every day during guided reading. These headphones will also allow students to create projects that showcase their learning, because they have a microphone that they can talk into.” — We Can Hear It Now!, Mrs. Weaver, Grades 3-5, South Carolina

12. Flair Pens

The yellow #2 pencil will always be a staple, but pens have their place, too. Teachers for all grades find use in PaperMate Flair Pens (standard black and every color!). One teacher in our Facebook Community reports that after a year and a half of remote laptop learning, Flair pens helped motivate their 7th graders to use their writers notebooks. Little learners can benefit from pens, too!

“The advantage to having the pens instead of pencils, is to be able to see the child’s thinking. When children make mistakes using a pencil, they simply erase. I am able to see the thinking work that my students go through with pens instead of pencils. Cross-outs, attempts at solving a tricky problem, or the spelling of a tricky word can tell me so much about what my students already know and what they need to learn next. Pens enable us to teach our students and our school community that we value process as much as we do product.” — Writer’s Workshop: Beyond the Pencil, Mrs. Morris, Grades PreK-2, Texas

Take a look at the new projects teachers are working on to show their students that learning is the best kind of adventure, then start your own low-cost project!

“Graphic novels not only promote reading, but they also help to improve reading comprehension, vocabulary, and reading stamina.” — Mrs. Ureta, middle school teacher, Texas

Readers of all ages love graphic novels. Students get especially excited when they see a graphic novel on their reading lists! (What teacher doesn’t want that?) These ten graphic novels are the most requested by DonorsChoose teachers — check out these top picks and add them to your library!

1. Invisible: A Graphic Novel by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriela Epstein 

After finding themselves in trouble, five unique middle school students are forced to complete community service together. At first, they assume that they have nothing in common aside from being Spanish-speakers. When they meet a girl who needs help, they come to learn that they have more in common than they realized.

2. Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega and Rose Bousamra

Frizzy is the story of a young Dominican girl who has a complicated relationship with her naturally curly hair. With the help of her best friend and her Tía Ruby, she begins a heartwarming journey of embracing herself and her curls.

3. I Survived Hurricane Katrina by Lauren Tarshis and Scott Dawson 

The third installment of the I Survived series, is about an eleven year old boy and his family that try to ride out Hurricane Katrina in their New Orleans home. This graphic novel series became popular for the way it combines historical facts with a truly captivating story.

4. Mary Anne's Bad Luck Mystery by Ann M. Martin and Cynthia Yuan Cheng

Mary Anne's Bad Luck Mystery is the seventeenth novel of the well loved The Baby-sitter’s Club books. In this story, Mary Anne ignores a chain letter and then experiences a series of unfortunate events along with her friends. When she discovers a new note, Mary Anne and her friends become determined to solve the mystery and find out who is behind the letters.

5. Miles Morales: Shock Waves by Justin A. Reynolds and Pablo Leon

This middle-grade graphic novel features one of Marvel’s most loved superheroes, Spider-man. As Miles Morales (aka Spider-man) navigates the balance of swinging through Brooklyn and being a regular kid, he also uncovers secrets that force him to go after some big threats. 

6. Moon Rising by Tui T. Sutherland and Mike Holmes 

Moon Rising is the 6th book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series. This fantasy graphic novel hooks readers in with a mystical world full of dragons., prophecies, and special powers.

7. City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm by Jaimal Yogis and Vivian Truong

When Grace is on a school field trip, she comes across an old mysterious woman who gives her a dragon egg. After the dragon hatches, Grace and her friends have to protect it from sinister forces.

8. The Tryout: A Graphic Novel by Christina Soontornvat and Joanna Cacao

The Tryout is a touching graphic novel based on author Christina Soontornvat’s life in middle school. In this story, Christina and her best friend have to navigate trying out for the cheerleading squad as the only two students of color in their Texas school. 

‍9. Cat Kid Comic Club #4: Collaborations by Dav Pilkey

Naomi, Melvin, Poppy, Gilbert, Curly, and their siblings are thrilled to start making funny and original comics again. When these baby frogs work collaboratively, they learn that small things can have a big impact. 

‍10. PAWS: Mindy Makes Some Space by Nathan Fairbairn and Michele Assarasakorn 

Mindy and her best friends own a  booming dog walking business and things couldn’t be any better. But when Mindy experiences some growing pain at home and at school, she has to learn to let new people into her life.

Are you excited to get these graphic novels for your students? Create a DonorsChoose project and let our community help you get the resources you need!

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Coming on March 30: Every donation to DonorsChoose book projects on DonorsChoose will be doubled, while funds last. 

This is your chance to “put some time on the books” and  stock your shelves! The best way to take advantage of this special funding opportunity? Make sure your community knows about the awesome work you and your students do by sharing your project link! Teachers who take one of the 5-minute sharing actions below have a 89% success rate on DonorsChoose. (Seriously.) 

To help you give your projects an extra boost, our DonorsChoose team designed some resources to make sharing your project super simple, so the only question left is: 

Which action will you choose on March 30th?

Option A: All of my book-loving friends and followers will see my project link!

On Thursday morning, pick your favorite graphics from our collection and share at least twice on social media. You can mix & match your favorite platforms (i.e. 1 Facebook post + 1 TikTok), do a morning and evening post on the same platform, or post and re-share your own content (Insta feed + Insta story!). Wherever you tweet, post, snap, or share, make sure you include a link to your project!

Feeling extra excited about these graphics? You can create your own custom graphic using the Canva templates below:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

Option B: I’m sending my loved ones with my project via text!

On Wednesday, use the template below as a guide to write about your students and  then , copy and paste the text (with your project link!) into a group text chat or an email with your favorite 3-5 bookworms. Wherever you send it — your starred group chat, that DM thread with your book club, your family email chain — make it super personal to their favorite teacher (you!).

Option C: I’m sharing my book project to the max!

This option is your best bet to #FillEveryShelf in your classroom: A way to let all the book fans and (self-proclaimed) literary critics in your network know about your project and the big match day. Complete these three steps together to give your project the momentum it needs:

1. Send a personalized email to one person who cares about you and your classroom, asking them if they would like to support your project and put books in the hands of students Include your project link!
2. Post your project on your favorite social media platform and Include your project link!‍
3. Send one group email or text to folks you know, asking them to help you spread the word about your project while there are doubled donations. Include your project link!
   

Not sure who to reach out to? Get some ideas here!

“There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you until the day you begin to share your stories. And all at once … the world opens itself up a little wider to make some space for you.” —From The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

When we say books are magic, it’s not just a phrase to throw around. Books have the power to act as windows,  allowing us to see into worlds beyond our own — while just as easily mirroring our experience and reflecting and affirming our identities. DonorsChoose teachers know how essential this level of representation is to every classroom and student, not just for special months but all year-round. 

We pulled together a collection of our best reading lists made for diversifying your bookshelves, featuring stories by and about women and Black, Latino, LGBTQIA+, AAPI, Native American people —and beyond. They’re divided up by grade level for easy shopping. Enjoy!

19 Must-Have Books by Black Authors For Your Class Library

Explore this list: 19 Must-Have Books by Black Authors For Your Class Library

These are stories of Black joy, love, and life for all readers. Explore belonging with young readers in the lyrical The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, or dive into a haunting graphic novel in verse in Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds. Or read the powerful American memoir written to the author’s teenage son in the bestseller Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. 

12 Must-Read Books That Celebrate Hispanic and Latino Voices

Explore this list: 12 Must-Read Books That Celebrate Hispanic and Latino Voices

You can join Alma on an adventure of learning about her name and her family history in Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal, read the story of a pre-teen boy whose family is separated by U.S. immigration policies in the deeply honest Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros. Or you can learn the history of four women fighting for freedom under Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic in In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. 

9 Must-Read Books That Celebrate the LGBTQIA+ Community

Explore this list: 9 Must-Read Books That Celebrate the LGBTQIA+ Community

Fill your shelves with Pride year-round. You can ride the subway with Julián and his Abuela on a story of self-discovery and acceptance in Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love, read the coming-of-age story of a girl finding herself in the wake of a tornado in Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake, and join the sisters Camino and Yahaira Rios in the novel-in-verse about grief, loss, and love, Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. 

Must-Read Asian American and Pacific Islander Books

Explore this list: Must-Read Asian American and Pacific Islander Books 

In this list, you’ll discover a lyrical story showcasing the lives of Muslim American women in Under My Hijab by Hena Khan, the moving family saga unfolding during the Japanese occupation of Korea in Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, and the Pulitzer-Prize winning tale of an American educated Franco-Vietnamese communist spy in The Sympathizer, a novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen. 

15 Books by Women Authors to Celebrate Women in History

Explore this list: 15 Books by Women Authors to Celebrate Women in History 

Readers of all genders can find a story to appreciate in these selections. Dig into world history with the beautifully-illustrated Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World by Vashti Harrison, read the story of a young girl who must leave her home in Syria to the U.S. in Other Words for Home, by Jasmine Warga, or travel back to 1937 during the Harlem Renaissance in the American classic Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. 

Native American Reads For Your Bookshelf

Explore this list: Native American Book List

Choose from 9 titles featuring a breadth of stories centering Native peoples’ voices and culture. Go on a journey of adoption and family identity in I Can Make this Promise by Christine Day, learn more about the history of boarding schools in Two Roads by Joseph Bruchac, or read the multi-generational tale all leading up to a California Powwow in There, There by Tommy Orange. 

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Teachers know the classroom should be a space where all students can find their mirrors and their windows. Through diversifying our reading with books like those on our lists above, we can all gain a more complete, more honest picture of the world. And that is pure magic. 

Want to see what books public school teachers are currently requesting? Find them here on DonorsChoose.

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This post was published in February 2020 and was updated in February 2023.

March is National Book Month, so what better time to uncover our teachers’ favorite books? Check out these five most requested books from each grade level, and learn why you should bring them into your home or classroom.

Grade PreK-2

Mrs. Norris’s goal is to give her students a book that “embodies the sense of love and unity we have in our classrooms, while also having beautiful and engaging artwork to inspire students." In her book Our Class is a Family, Shannon Olsen reminds students that classrooms are places where it’s safe to be yourself, okay to make mistakes, and be a friend to others. The top books on this list remind us all that kindness, self-esteem, and identity are at the heart of learning.

Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
I Am Enough by Grace Byers
The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi
The Smart Cookie by Jory John

Grades 3-5

Mrs. Turner chose Wonder for her 25 students to practice creative and critical thinking. Wonder is a warm, uplifting story that stirs different emotions and teaches students about life, discovery, perseverance, and respect. “I picked this book for our book study because not only can we use it for reading strategies, but also for lifelong lessons.”

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
The Baby-sitters Club Graphic Novels by Ann M. Martin, adapted by Gale Galligan and Raina Telgemeier
Dog Man: The Supa Epic Collection by Dav Pilkey
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Grades 6-8

A Newbery award-winning graphic novel, New Kid drops students into a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real. Ms. Dempsey loves it because “the realism effortlessly pivots readers and teachers into unexpected and profound topics of conversation. The story may be heartbreakingly accurate as it explores topics such as class, race, microaggressions, and self-identity.”

New Kid by Jerry Craft
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Grades 9-12

The Hate U Give has been one of the most requested books on our site for several years. Teachers like Mr. Perkins uses this book to empower their students to discuss shared experiences and envision social change.“ This novel has so many key pieces that they struggle with each day. My hope is to not only find something they can relate with but to allow them to feel comfortable and empowered to share those struggles to empower each other.”

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

Teachers, today is the perfect day to get these books on your shelves! Create a project and bring these popular stories to your students.

If you want to help teachers put these books in students' hands, support a book project today!

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What was the first book that changed how you see the world? Of the millions of books requested by teachers on DonorsChoose over the last twenty years, these nine stand out for their impact on countless childhoods. And when teachers use them in the classroom, kids are still thrilled.

To create this list, we looked at the books that teachers have requested for their students most frequently and got the teacher skinny on what they consider “classics”.

1. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

It’s no coincidence that when you search for “books about friendship” on Google, Charlotte’s Web is the first result. The bond between Charlotte and Wilbur taught a lot of us about compassion, empathy, and selflessness. White writes for children without talking down to them, treating young kids as individuals capable of understanding deep emotional moments.

“[It’s] been amazing to see how excited they get about the story! I am sure we all got the chance to read this classic story about kindness and friendship and I am so excited to share this with my students for years to come!” - Ms. Burel, 2nd Grade, on Charlotte’s Web

2. Holes by Louis Sachar

The curse on Stanley Yelnats is only slightly less powerful than the hold Sachar’s book has had on readers for more than 20 years. At boys’ detention center Camp Green Lake, there’s only one goal: dig holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. With more questions than answers, Stanley and his fellow wards look to dig up the truth and change their own fates.

3. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Through the eyes of 10-year-old Annemarie, we experience the rescue of Danish Jews during World War II. This suspenseful, deeply human account is still must-read in classrooms across the country (along with Lowry’s other modern classic, The Giver). Lowry is the thoughtful, skilled writer you remember, but make no mistake — both books are riveting, unabashed page-turners.

4. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

Few books have inspired more laugh-out-loud fun than this classic, beloved by grade-schoolers everywhere. The tale of Peter’s relationship with his brother, Fudge, helped countless of reluctant older siblings come to terms with the idea that the little monsters monopolizing our parent’s attention would not, in fact, be returning to the hospital but would instead be a constant presence of the rest of our lives.

5. A Wrinkle in Time by Madelene L’Engle

If all the books on this list have one thing in common, it’s that their writers understand that the best children’s literature can handle adult topics. Madelene L’Engle certainly doesn’t shy away from big themes and ideas: A Wrinkle in Time is about nothing less than a cosmic battle between good and evil. She takes a stand for individuality over conformity and thinking over mindlessness. Most of all, she tells every reader: “Be yourself.” A timeless message indeed.

6. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street is a classic coming-of-age novel. Narrator Esperanza Cordero grabs you by the hand and wades with you through the waters of her life. Each vignette is an invitation to explore the rich cultural and historic contexts that shape our lives and, at times, collide with our desire to be known and seen as our truest, most authentic selves. It’s no coincidence that Esperanza means hope; this luminous swirl of autobiography and fiction leaves every reader with plenty.

7. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Brian Robeson survived a plane crash – with nothing but a hatchet and a windbreaker with which to face an unwelcoming wilderness. Such begins an epic tale of survival, family, and discovery that has given decades of young readers a taste for adventure and gratitude for home.

8. Frindle by Andrew Clements

What happens when a kid invents a new word, his classmates love it, and his teacher hates it? Meet Nick Allen, mastermind behind ‘frindle’ whose curiosity and well-meaning experiment with words takes on wildly unexpected consequences. Clements creates a one-of-a-kind student-teacher dynamic with a twist ending that will forever bind clever, uncontainable students and the teachers who stand by them.

9. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

An unforgettable read, Roll of Thunder follows the Logan family as they navigate Depression-era Mississippi. Taylor manages to fill the pages with laughter, grade-school high-jinks, and the comfort of a close-knit family without undermining the racism and turbulent national history that permeate the lives of her characters. Now more than ever, we need this big-hearted book.

Of course, we know this list is far from comprehensive — and we want to hear from you! What was your favorite as a kid? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram!

Help give the next generation of kids access to life-changing books! Support a classroom book project today.

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For the growing number of companies with workforces spread across the country, supporting employees’ hometowns isn’t as simple as writing a check to that one local charity. When Panda Cares, the philanthropic branch of Panda Express, wanted to support schools surrounding its 2,200+ Panda Express locations, they knew they needed a nonprofit that had a national reach and the ability to target donations to the communities they care about.

Teachers at 86% of all US public schools have used DonorsChoose to request learning resources for their classrooms, and at any given moment, there are 50,000–100,000 resource requests seeking funding on our site. Through our platform, donors give any amount to the resource requests that inspire them, and we’ve designed mechanisms specifically for partners who want to target their classroom support to select hyperlocal geographies.

The Challenge: Engage Panda Associates by supporting the schools around each of Panda Express’s 2,200+ locations

Year-round at every Panda Express location, you’ll find Panda associates fundraising for Panda Cares, the philanthropic arm of Panda Restaurant Group. Panda Cares uses those funds raised at point of sale to serve Panda Express communities by supporting organizations that benefit the health and education of youth in the community as disaster relief support. Panda Cares empowers employees to give back, inspiring morale and pride.

Panda Cares wanted to deepen and personalize their associates’ engagement in Panda philanthropy by funding local public school classrooms across the country — our reach combined with our ability to support schools by zip code made us a natural fit.

“Panda and DonorsChoose is a win-win partnership where in-store donations made by our guests and associates are poured back into their communities nationwide,” said Winnie Chan, Director of Panda Cares Foundation. 

Over our three years of partnership with Panda Cares, their team has inspired us to further hone our hyperlocal funding mechanics so Panda associates know that the funds they raised at their location are going right back into their neighborhood schools.

Our Approach: We worked closely with the Panda Cares team to develop iterative campaign models to target funding with more nuance

Year by year, we honed our approach for local funding based on what we’d learned in the previous year, and our growing capacity for supporting hyperlocal giving. For all campaigns, qualifying projects were from schools where most students are from low-income households to ensure the funding would make the biggest impact.

Year 1: Zip code funding

We started off with our bread and butter of local giving — funding teacher requests based on the zip code of their school. All resource requests from schools within 10 miles of Panda Express zip codes had their projects fully funded.

Year 2: Radius-specific match offers

For the second year, we dove a little further into the nuance. Instead of fully funding all projects, we launched tiered match offers. Projects from schools within a 5-mile radius of Panda Express zip codes had donations tripled, while projects from within a 5- to 10-mile radius had donations doubled. 

Year 3: Zip code funding allocated by local POS fundraising

This year, we made giving the most specific yet. We returned to a direct project funding model, this time tying the amount fundraised at each Panda Express location to the funding for those local schools. This local funding connection inspires even more employee engagement, as locations who raise more at point of sale can support even more resource requests.

To further deepen these connections, we helped to facilitate Panda associates delivering Panda Express meals to the local schools they supported through their campaign during Teacher Appreciation Week — to everyone’s absolute delight!

The DonorsChoose team designed, curated, and mailed customized thank-you packages so that all 2,201 Panda Express locations received thank-you notes directly from supported students, a flier sharing an overview of our partnership, and a letter announcing our next campaign. In all, we shared more than 8,800 thank-you notes to 2,201 Panda Express stores.

The Impact: Deep impact, engagement from Panda associates, and happy teachers

Over the past three years, Panda Cares has had a remarkable impact on their communities through these hyperlocal initiatives, funding more than 25,000 classroom projects and reaching thousands of public schools in their target zip codes.

Employee engagement surrounding Panda Cares remains high, with 84% of associates feeling that Panda is committed to supporting the communities in which it operates — compared to 70% overall benchmark.

“I receive a great sense of honor knowing that I work for a company that does so much for the community.” —Panda Associate, 2022 Associate inspiration Measurement (AIM) Survey

Teachers flocked to social media to share their gratitude for the campaign across social media.

Want to learn more about how we can target funding to support schools in the communities you care about most? Reach out to us!

What’s better than a video that warms the heart or makes you burst into laughter? Among other things, teachers use TikTok to shine a light on the hilarious and sweet sides of teaching. Here are some teacher-created TikToks guaranteed to make you smile. 

You can’t watch this video without getting the warm fuzzy feeling inside.

Check out what happened when this teacher showed her class who her favorite student was.

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While student safety is always of the highest importance, sometimes teachers can’t help but chuckle when students make a minor tumble.

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Every teacher has their own vibe when arriving at school in the morning.

They could be the early bird arriving before the custodians. They might even be the hallway mayor saying “good” morning to everyone they pass.

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Every teacher knows that feeling when the weekend goes by in the blink of an eye. This video almost feels too relatable. 

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Pause… did you say a classroom with snacks and a diverse library of books? We all could use an environment like that. Sign us up!

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Teachers might be responsible for teaching students the basic operations of arithmetic, but that doesn’t mean they can’t use tools to make their day simpler.‍

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Looking for more TikTok videos to brighten your day? Follow us on Instagram.

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By putting purchasing power directly into teachers’ hands, state departments of education can efficiently disperse funding to support the precise needs of their public school teachers and students.

The Challenge: Enable Utah teachers to select the COVID-relief resources that would most support their students’ learning

During the pandemic, state departments of education had to quickly decide how they would allocate COVID relief funding, like ESSER and GEER, to help teachers support their students recovering from learning loss caused by the pandemic. Utah, like many other states, wanted to allocate that funding in a way that would meaningfully support student outcomes — and when every student had a different COVID experience, a one-size-fits-all solution wouldn’t cut it.

With the variety of student needs, the Utah State Board of Education intrinsically knew they wanted to give local control to teachers by allowing them to select resources that would make the biggest impact in their classroom. As they started conceptualizing how to build such a system, the logistical concerns and questions began stacking up.

• How would they receive and review teachers’ applications? 
• How quickly would DOE staff be able to review teachers’ projects, recognizing that many projects were timely and related to a particular unit or activity?
• Who would collect and review price quotes and receipts? 
• What would happen if teachers needed to return an item?
• Who would teachers call or email with questions? 
• How fast would DOE staff be able to respond to hundreds or thousands of emails?

The State Board of Education realized they either needed to make a massive investment of both time and money, or find a partner that already had the ability to receive and fulfill teacher requests at a grand scale.

The Solution: A Turnkey Teacher Support Campaign through DonorsChoose 

DonorsChoose is a nonprofit that gives public school teachers the ability to request resources that will help their students learn. Since our founding in 2000, 5.6 million donors have contributed $1.4 billion, bringing more than 2.5 million resource requests to life.

Sydnee Dickson, the Utah State Superintendent of Public Instruction, learned about DonorsChoose through our Teachers Support Campaign with Nevada, where we distributed $8 million in ESSER funding to Nevada teachers over 10 weeks. Our team worked closely with Utah State Board of Education leaders to launch a similar campaign for Utah teachers, while meeting the Board of Ed’s specific requirements for what teachers could request, as well as the Board's federal reporting needs.

The Utah Teacher Support Campaign launched as students returned to school in January 2022. Using the messaging and communications support provided by our team, the Board let teachers across the state know they had the opportunity to receive funding for one DonorsChoose project, up to $1,000 per teacher.

The Results: Record-Breaking Deployment Speed and Public Praise

Immediately after the campaign was launched, Utah teachers flocked to DonorsChoose, writing detailed descriptions of how the resources they requested would benefit their students’ learning and pandemic recovery. Once projects were vetted and approved by the DonorsChoose team, funding was instantly applied, and requested resources began arriving into teachers’ classrooms in as little as two days.

Within just two weeks, the entire $12 million grant was distributed to 13,355 public school educators — half of all Utah public school teachers. 

The campaign also garnered the Utah State Board of Education positive local press surrounding their support of teacher-selected resources, while teachers shouted out their gratitude across social media.

Interested in partnering with DonorsChoose for a statewide teacher support campaign? Learn more and reach out to us.

Your team may have the perfect educational program or resource — but with more than 98,000 public schools across the country, how do you get that learning tool into the hands of teachers and students?

The answer: we need to meet teachers where they are! Teachers are always looking for more resources, and by offering them the learning tools and incentives, we make it easier for them to take on new and innovative projects that keep their students motivated and engaged throughout the school year.

Educators at more than 86% of public schools have used DonorsChoose to request resources for their students and classroom. Thanks to our 23-year history of helping teachers do what they do best, we know how to inspire and activate some of the country’s most innovative and dedicated educators.

Through a unique partnership between DonorsChoose and BUILD.org — supported by Comcast NBCUniversal — BUILD was able to equip educators with an entrepreneurship program designed for high school students. Teachers who participated in and completed the program were given DonorsChoose funding credits as an incentive.  

“Thanks to the partnership with DonorsChoose and their highly engaged teacher community, BUILD.org was able to grow the footprint of its programming and inspire the next generation of problem solvers and entrepreneurs,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Diversity Officer, Comcast Corporation. “We are grateful to support this collaboration through Project UP, our $1B commitment to advance digital equity and build a future of unlimited possibilities.”

The Challenge: Expand teacher participation in the BUILD Design Challenge

Since 2020, Comcast NBCUniversal has fueled BUILD.org’s Design Challenge to empower 7th–12th grade students in underserved areas to take action by developing innovative solutions for their communities. Thanks to this funding, teachers are trained to guide students through 10 hours of Design Thinking instruction, during which students identify a problem within their community, and prototype and test a solution with the end goal of developing young entrepreneurs.

Within its first years of operation, the BUILD Design Challenge was a big success among teachers who participated. BUILD wanted to expand on this impact and was looking for avenues to introduce the Design Challenge to educators in new schools. They sought a partner with a large network of teachers to spread the word about the benefits of participating in the Challenge and to encourage adoption.

Our Approach: Activate the DonorsChoose teacher community through classroom funding incentives

The DonorsChoose team instantly saw the value of BUILD’s project-based, youth entrepreneurship program for teachers, and we had a sense that educators would be excited to facilitate the Challenge with their students. 

To encourage teachers to learn more about the program, we offered qualifying educators a DonorsChoose funding credit for attending a 1-hour webinar, and additional credits for completing the challenge. DonorsChoose funding credits are highly motivating for teachers, who understand the value of the resources they represent for their students. (In a 2014 Harvard Business School supervised study, teachers offered DonorsChoose funding credits were 14 times more likely to help their students’ progress through a math course than a comparable group encouraged to achieve the same milestone with no such credit!) 

All DonorsChoose funding credits were backed by Comcast. Teachers had the ability to use this funding towards their next DonorsChoose project request, helping to fill their classroom with learning materials while engaging students in hands-on learning.

The Results: We hit the numbers and teachers were happy

Our ongoing partnership is on track to exceed goals around webinar attendance and Challenge completion this year!

• 1,000+ teachers attended the design challenge training webinar, providing BUILD.org with a robust email list of new teachers to further engage 
• 220 teachers have already completed the Design Challenge, and we’re on track for an additional 160 teachers to participate by the end of the school year, exceeding our goal of 200 new teacher participants

Teachers were thrilled to be served this opportunity and were especially grateful to receive classroom funding for engaging in content that was relevant to them and their work.

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How many of us have heard “underserved youth” or “violent inner-city schools” in situations that describe students of color or students from low-income households? What could happen if we focused on what’s possible instead of what’s lacking? While focusing on what’s missing might sometimes work to open wallets, it can often stigmatize the students at the heart of our mission and reinforce damaging bias. This type of deficit-framing language positions students as the problem, while ignoring the systems that created and perpetuated the problem.

As an organization that fundraises on behalf of teachers and students, we recognize our power to create and reframe narratives about education to the public. By using asset-framing, we can challenge stigmatizing cultural narratives around students, and encourage the public to help those students reach their goals and aspirations. 

“Asset framing is defining people by their aspirations and their contributions, then acknowledging the challenges that often extend beyond them, and investing in them for their continued benefit to society.”

—Trabian Shorters | Founding CEO, BMe & DonorsChoose Board Member

We teamed up with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to test the effectiveness of asset framing in email fundraising ‍

Through a series of donation appeal email experiments, we tested different framings (asset, deficit, neutral) in combination with different content themes. To control for the effect of match offer campaigns on donor behavior, every email included a promo code doubling the recipient’s donation, backed by a $500,000 grant from the Gates Foundation.

Experiment 1: Can asset-framing compete with deficit-framing when asking for donations ?

Pervasive nonprofit lore holds that the best way to inspire action is to elicit guilt and sadness by highlighting the pain and suffering of constituents. But does this assumption actually hold water? First, we needed to test if asset-framing could ever outperform this deficit-framing language. 

We sent 6 different versions of a fundraising appeal — 2 asset-framed, 2 deficit-framed, and 2 neutral-framed — to a random selection on 511,000 DonorsChoose donors.

Experiment 1 Results

Top performing email: neutral-framed description of the time of year

Tied for second: asset-framed description of student attributes associated with learning and deficit-framed description of student experiences associated with a lack of supplies

While the neutral framing won out overall, we were happy to see that the asset-framed and deficit-framed messages performed similarly. This finding indicates that asset-framed appeals can be as compelling as deficit-framed appeals, and are worthy of further experimentation.

After analyzing the results of experiment 1, we were particularly curious to explore the other factors that contributed to engagement rates — specifically, how different themes of content interplay with different types of framing. 

Experiment 2: What content themes make asset-framed appeals most effective? 

For the next tests, we ran an even more granular experiment, sending 15 emails to 1.2 million donors. We created five content themes and wrote three emails (asset, deficit, neutral) for each theme. 

Experiment 2 Results

Content theme 1: Describing constituents 

In our emails using adjectives to describe students, asset framing drove the highest engagement, but deficit framing drove more overall donations.

Content theme 2: Scoping the need

In our emails sharing the number of teacher resource requests, asset framing again had higher engagement rates and a higher conversion rate, while deficit framing inspired more overall donations.

Content theme 3: Passing the mic

In our emails quoting teachers, deficit-framed teacher quotes won on nearly all factors, though asset-framed teacher quotes led to a higher average donation size (but less funding overall).

Content theme 4: Humanizing the issue

In our emails telling stories about students, neutral and deficit framing performed similarly, with neutral framing driving slightly more conversions and deficit framing driving slightly more donations.

Content theme 5: Explaining systemic factors to inequity

In our emails stating that public school funding is inequitable, neutral framing prevailed in almost every metric.

Donor Trends

In analyzing these results, interesting trends around donor responses emerged.

• Donors who were already highly engaged in our platform (multiple past donations) seemed most responsive to asset framing on a whole. This leads us to believe that higher engagement correlates to a better understanding of the core problem our org seeks to solve, making them more responsive to a vision of a better future.
• Donors who had not given to our site in more than 2 years converted at similar rates across framings, with a slight lean toward neutral framing. These donors likely have the least connection to us and our cause, and presenting our problem statement the most objectively seems to be a promising approach.
• Donors who are averagely engaged were split evenly between asset and deficit framing, and responded least to neutral framing.

While no single “silver bullet” fundraising appeal rose to the top, this set of results showed us that asset-framed appeals can be at least as effective as deficit-framed appeals, when deployed with the right content and to the right audience. 

Early Recommendations

We have so many more questions and experiments we want to run and are greatly inspired by our early learnings. Based on our first year of experimentation, we’ve developed the following list of recommendations for other nonprofits looking to implement asset framing in their donor fundraising emails.

1. When garnering donations & engaging audiences, the following asset-framing approaches are shown to be effective & are a terrific starting point:
   a. Describe the people who will benefit with accurate, positive attributes
   b. Frame data to show the proactivity of the people who will benefit (in addition to the need)
2. Donors who are already engaged with your mission may be the most receptive to asset framing
3. Use a variety of approaches, and don’t rule out neutral framing!

Looking to the future, we want to try out more content approaches, branch out beyond email to SMS and ads, test imagery, along with learning from industry peers taking a similar approach.

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