Lesson 18: Revelation through Redemption

What’s on for today and why?

            In this lesson students are meant to make their final interpretations of the characters.  They can have their packets out filling in missing pieces during this class, in fact it is recommended.  The students will be brought together with the text by asking them what the title now means to them upon finishing the book.  Their analyses of the cover will also be passed back to them to compare it to what they know now.  Teacher will only prompt students with questions, but not actually comment, leaving that entirely up to the students.

            The prompting is a bit like a Socratic Seminar, forcing the students to run the class, but through the prompting, the teacher has control to keep them on a specific point, forcing them to focus.  Repeating the same question, drawing out more and more meaning as the question is posed again and again, making the students dig even deep, which will help them when they go back to finish their presentations.

What to do?

1.      Journal:

What does the title Graceland now mean to you and to the text?  What and where is Graceland?  Why did Abani choose this title over all others?  Redemption? Elvis? Heartbreak Hotel?

2.      Names:

In a general discussion led by the teacher but run by the students, the students will reanalyze and make their final claims about characters now that they have finished the text.  The students will stand in a circle to do this with the desks out of the way, the teacher encouraging them to express themselves through gestures and movements if necessary.  They are moved out of the comfort zone of behind a desk or computer and now they are exposed with their opinions.  This will get them all ready for presentations the following class.

3.      Questions:

Teacher should stress questions like “Who is Redemption?” “What is Redemption?” “Is The King a Christ figure?” “Why is The King named so?” The teacher will only ask questions, but can ask them as many times as she wants or needs, getting expressive, shouting, “Tell me,” etc.

4.      Homework:

Finish preparations of portfolio and final presentation.

How’d it go?

            If the students got expressive they are comfortable and should have no fear in getting in front of their classmates for presentations.  If the students dug deeper and deeper upon being asked a question several times, they are really stretching themselves for a higher level of interpretation.  If the students when “oh” and had a sudden epiphany about a character, they have just come to a new understanding.