This book has greatly influenced the way I look at teenage romance in the classroom - I don't believe it's something a teacher can simply ignore or overlook, but it is also something a teacher needs to be careful with since it is highly personal for most students (if not every). The book doesn't appeal to just one audience even though the protagonist is a heterosexual male. In any case, it does a lot to raise up modern day tensions regarding homosexuality among high school students.
The author does a phenomenal job of putting the reader through the character's cognitive processes - the juxtapositions he poses would be useful tools in getting students to think critically. (He also does this thing with hypocrisy, and we all know how I'm a sucker for that sort of stuff)
There's a whole bunch that could be done with this book in regards to teaching, I've started using index cards as bookmarks and writing down the most impactful quotes while I read - and while I was reading Winger my bookmark filled up very quickly.
I've been talking about the book a lot and found out a 12th grade teacher at SCAHS uses it - it was actually referred to me by one of my students.
The author does a phenomenal job of putting the reader through the character's cognitive processes - the juxtapositions he poses would be useful tools in getting students to think critically. (He also does this thing with hypocrisy, and we all know how I'm a sucker for that sort of stuff)
There's a whole bunch that could be done with this book in regards to teaching, I've started using index cards as bookmarks and writing down the most impactful quotes while I read - and while I was reading Winger my bookmark filled up very quickly.
I've been talking about the book a lot and found out a 12th grade teacher at SCAHS uses it - it was actually referred to me by one of my students.