I have just been allocated an Extension English class for next year! Wooo!!!
I get to teach solid texts from the canon and I’m very excited about it.
My first task is to choose a theme or a character that has been represented in literature throughout the centuries. I have a few ideas. For example we could study ‘Heroes’ and look at Beowulf, The Odyssey, Ulysses as represented by Joyce in Ulysses and then I would need some contemporary texts including poetry and film. Or a closely related theme we could study could be ideas of ‘Saviours’ in literature throughout history. Or we could study the theme of ‘Redemption’ and look at Cry, the Beloved Country…
Ooooh! There are so many good options my mind is all a flutter! What theme would you study – either one of mine or of your own invention – and which film, poetry and fiction texts would you choose?
regainingparadise 
November 20, 2007 at 10:27 pm |
I would study/teach Saviors because then I could incorporate all my favorite stories and movies using Christ as my foundation and the One by Whom all stories or Saviors must be measured, compared, and contrasted.
Off the top of my head, books would include the Lord of the Rings, Les Miserables, Dickens!!, maybe even Harry Potter.
I’d need help with poetry and movies, though, because I don’t know that much about poetry and I don’t watch many movies.
Come to think of it; I really need to take your class! : D
November 21, 2007 at 7:18 am |
I just wish I had teachers like you in school!! I would be convinced to study because of your passion…
November 21, 2007 at 3:09 pm |
Oooh! A poetry text for Saviours/redemption/ heroes could be Paradise Lost!!!!! =D
November 21, 2007 at 3:15 pm |
Oh! Good suggestions, Kim! Tolkien and Beowulf would go well together especially considering Tolkien’s writings on Beowulf. Very nice. Come and join my class! You would make valuable contributions, I’m sure! We could team teach!
Oh! Ellen, you are too kind. Literature is sooo exciting. My class is made up of 6 of the keenest students. It’s so good to be able to teach such a small and interested group. They encourage my love of English. Hopefully we’ll be a good influence on each other.
November 25, 2007 at 7:25 pm |
Oh joy! It will be great to get updates on this one. You are blessed with the opportunity to leave indelible memories on 6 receptive minds about the most important things. But I doubt you’ll be cultivating addiction to books. Sounds like they may have already arrived with that.
December 4, 2007 at 2:26 pm |
Let us know how it goes…
… and have a Blessed Christmas.
— Radagast