One of the best things my county has done is take away "content based" pacing guides for English II. We have now switched to a "skills based" pacing guide that has seriously changed my life! I am a firm believer in two things:
1. If I don't enjoy a book, my students can tell. If I hate what we're reading, then they probably will, too! On the other hand, I've had teachers tell me, "Don't even bother with ________(book title), the kids will hate that!" But, because I love the book, my children also enjoy it!
2. Why does it matter if my children know Things Fall Apart like the back of their hands, if they will never use it again on the test...or, more importantly, LIFE!?
Because of our new pacing guide, I'm able to use literature that still allows me to teach the standards, but also allows so much creative freedom! Now, instead of teaching that horrible novel where nothing happens, some yams are farmed, then there's a suicide (Sorry, Achebe fans, I just don't get it), we can read an AMAZING, CAPTIVATING, RICH-WITH LITERARY-GEMS story, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.
Now...I'll also admit that this system has come with several challenges. Our literature books are not in the best shape, so I try to save them. AND some books that I'd like to teach just aren't available through my school's library. I've actually spent hours which turned into days researching how to get the best deal on class sets. Yes, you can go the Scholastic route, but that costs sometimes hundreds more than what you should actually pay. Yes, you can go to Amazon and be positive that the books will be here in two days....BUT I've found the best kept secret on the internet.
Thrift books has seriously saved my life/money. So far, I've ordered 4 class sets from the site. My children now have Lord of The Flies, A Long Way Gone, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and Sold!
Let me be honest-these are not new books. However, the quality has ALWAYS been excellent with every book that I've ordered. I've never had a problem. And let's be real, after 5 minutes of our students having the books, they definitely won't look new...even if they're hot off the press. :)
I love this site for a few reasons. First, they sell quality books. The majority of the these books are from libraries that have downsized or they are hard cover books that are simply missing a dust jacket. I mean, who ever missed a dust jacket?
Secondly, they offer a great teacher discount!
And finally, the books really do ship quickly. If you can plan ahead, you'll get a much better deal. I typically do the majority of my orders in the summer, because the books do seem to "trickle" in 3-5 at a time. Overall, I've never had an entire set take more than 2 weeks to arrive. Not too shabby for the price!
Oh! The other cool part is that you can make a classroom wishlist! If you're like me, you have random parents throughout the year (or even some of your own family members) who offer to "help" in your classroom. If you struggle to think of something to say, you can always direct them to your classroom wishlist on thrift books! Most books are less than $4, so they won't break the bank and you'll get a cool new book to add to your library!
Here are some tips for using this site and getting the most for your money!
1. Sign up for "Reading Rewards"! When you go to the site, there will be a link to sign up for Thrift Books. DO THIS! Not only do you receive a coupon just for signing up, but you also get the chance to enroll in reading rewards. Once you've enrolled in reading rewards, you'll get a $5 gift card for every $50 you spend! These add up!
2. Thrift Deals! Many books will have a banner beside them that says "Thrift Deal". You will get the most for your money by really watching for these. Thrift Deal books mean 2 books for $7, 3 books for $9, and 4 books for $12. You can combine the books this way and use the teacher discount to get even more savings!
3. There's a secret teacher discount! Thrift books will actually give you 15% off your total order if you order a class set. They define a class set as any ISBN# with 20 or more copies. This has been a life saver for me!
4. Sign up for their email newsletter and deals! This site really isn't bad about aggravating you to death with emails. They only send emails whenever there's a big sale or they have a coupon to send. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE! Most of their sales are actually YA lit. or "Teen Literature" (novels actually used in the classroom).
Now, math makes me nervous, but here's some math for you (so simple even an English teacher can do it):
Cost of 25 copies of A Long Way Gone on Amazon: $194.75 + shipping
Cost of 25 copies of A Long Way Gone on Thrift Books: $80.50 with free shipping. (only coupon used was teacher discount)
I really can't say enough good things about this site and they aren't even paying me to advertise! :)
If you're like me, and seeing is believing, use this link to check it out for yourself! You'll even get my 15% off coupon on your first order. Click to visit Thrift Books!
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