1. Connection
· Consider the following question: What does a spouse owe their husband or wife? …Loyalty? Respect? Faithfulness? Financial support? Comfort? Quality time? Being a good parent? Etc.
· Where do you get your ideas on this: from contemporary music, TV, movies, books? The people around you: your own parents, grandparents, etc.?
· Is your response to this question in alignment with what you see around you or are your ideas the opposite of what you see/experience?
2. Teach (Explicitly telling & showing an example or inquiry)
1) As a class we will reread a section of The Painted Veil, where Charlie comments that he doesn’t owe his wonderful wife and mother of his children anything, not even his loyalty. Kitty is disgusted by his response, but is still seduced into a second affair with him anyhow.
2) Have students write a brief reflection essay for next class discussion (turned into a blog post afterward) in which they establish the characters’ views on marriage, comment on what Maugham’s view (the author’s) might be, and then agree or disagree with the prior and define their own opinion, using at least two points of defense for their viewpoints.
3. Active Engagement
1) After brief reflection essay is written, students will have a brief discussion of what this passage says about each character’s idea of marriage and how they are to treat their spouses. Also discuss what Maugham might be conveying in terms of his own view of marriage.
4. Link
Throughout reading The Painted Veil, students have been continuously studying the mindset of modern men and women of the 1920’s and also been analyzing the author’s worldview. This topic of marriage and relationships is a major theme that will be further explored and defined in the writing of this essay/blog post.
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5. Writing & Conferencing
After the brief class discussion, students will be required to post their reflection essays onto the class’ blog and spend a about a week responding to (critiquing and questioning) each others’ pieces & view points on the topic. With this feedback and sights from their classmates, students will write a formal critical essay that they will submit for a grade.
6. Sharing
Once essays have been written, students will reflect (in informal class discussion and possibly blog posts, as well) on the writing task and what it forced them to think about, what they realized maybe for the first time, and also their own intentions for their future marriages/relationships. We may even take it a step further and discuss how it connects to other works we’ve read in regards to this topic (i.e. The Great Gatsby).
This is a great assignment for outgoing seniors. It makes them connect, think and then reflect on their experiences along with integrating material. I wish I had someon like you for english, I might have enjoyed it a little better!
ReplyDeleteI think this is an awesome task you've set before them. What a challenge and so interesting for people of any age! I think the opening connection questions would generate a great discussion that would go on for an entire class period and still have students talking about it at lunch. i think your design of the lesson is great.
ReplyDeleteI guess I am still confused about how it is best to use a blog in the classroom. I'm not sure, as a teacher, how I would access the work. I am not sure of the advantages (no paper?) and the disadvantages (not everyone has easy access to the computer). But I imagine will figure out the answers as we go....sometimes as a student I want all the answers right away when I should "trust the process!"