My students need 35 copies of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" to engage reluctant readers in a critical analysis of universal themes, characterization & self-identity.
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
"Reading is boring. I'll only do it if I have to." This is the general consensus amongst my 9th grade students. This was also my own feeling about reading right around their age, until I found that ONE book that completely changed me. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is THAT book for my students.
Our inner-city school is a Title I school, which is a low-income school.
Over 66% of students commute because they live outside of the school's community; most students are bussed in from various other parts of the city. B.M.M.H.S. attracts many culturally and linguistically diverse students. In one of my ninth grade classes alone, out of the thirty-four students in that class, only two do not speak a language other than English at home. Most students speak Spanish, and a few others speak Tagalog, Cantonese or Bengali. Additionally, because most of my ninth grade students are English Language Learners, most are also struggling or reluctant readers and writers. My ultimate goal is to help my students become life-long readers, but I need help tantalizing their hunger for reading. Although they understand that reading is important, I need help getting to them to WANT to read as opposed to perpetuating the idea that they HAVE to read.
My Project
Three years ago, I dipped into my own savings to buy 35 copies of Perks to use with my students. Little did I know that many of my former students would return to my class and say that out of all the books we read, this was their favorite book!
Essentially, the major texts for the second semester highlight my opening theme, "Identity: In Search of the Self". More specifically, my overall goals for my unit on Stephen Chbosky's epistolary novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, are to analyze the universal themes and characters in Chbosky's coming-of-age story, and it will also help me guide my students in a critical analysis of themselves as they compare their experiences as new 9th graders to the experiences of the high school students in the novel. Reluctant readers & writers tend to lack the adequate skills to enjoy reading and writing, and for this reason I need a powerful teaching tool to motivate my students to read & write, and that tool is The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Chbosky's novel chronicles the first year of Charlie's high school life, which is a challenging transitional year for him, much like the 9th grade is a dramatic transitional year for my students.
Students experience the dramatic transfer from middle school to high school, and many are also experiencing insecurities, anxiety, and other painful circumstances, much like Charlie. This is the third year I use this novel with my 9th graders and it is an incredibly effective teaching tool.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Martinez and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
