For the last two years, we've seen Wicked, which I love. There's a lot of work involved in taking ELLs to Wicked. First of all, it's based on The Wizard of Oz, and none of them have even heard of it. So I had to show them the whole film, explain it, and then give them enough background on Wicked that they could follow it.
Kinky Boots is easier in one way. They don't need a whole lot of background to understand this particular story. However, it entails a whole lot of cross-dressing, which I'm concerned will bring up a whole lot of prejudice. A lot of students from other countries have quite conservative backgrounds. It's too bad because I'm sure they, like everyone, have their share of various orientations. Who knows how many of them are hiding?
That's not my business as much as teaching tolerance. TDF expects me to give two lessons related to the show, and I guess that will be my goal. I can give them a brief idea of the plot, but I need them to focus on what's happening and somehow preclude their being judgmental. I also have to do this in such a way that keep me out of the rubber room. The show itself is not graphic or anything. A friend suggested it's very PG, and I agree with that.
All my students are victims of prejudice, what with Orange Man in the White House, even if he says some may be good people. He trashes Mexicans, he trashes Muslims, he laments about shithole countries, even as his supporters send bombs to his opponents, march as Nazis and who knows what else. I'm going to try to make them understand prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination.
I will first focus on how there are people who hate us, every one of us, for our nationality, our religion, our color, our gender, or whatever. I'll then introduce the idea of people with various sexual orientations and hope they will see it's no different. It's tough because I sometimes hear a stray comment, where one boy makes fun of another, saying something like, "You have a boyfriend."
A student surprised me the other day. Mma Ramotswe, the lady detective in the book The Number One Ladies Detective Agency, is always saying awful things about men. Men are always running after women, she says, and there are always women in bars willing to go with these men. Doesn't that make women just as bad as she says the men are, I asked?
The student said yes, women are always making problems. That's why he was going to marry a man. I was pretty surprised that the students failed to react to that. Maybe homophobia is dead in that room. I don't know. On the other hand, they boy who said that made a pretty huge generalization about women. I'd rather see people go for pure cynicism and think that no one whatsoever is any good. Then there's no discrimination.
I'm a little concerned, but I think I can do a good job. Maybe I can teach students something other than schoolwork for a change. If you haven't seen the play, you really should. It's life-affirming and funny. I didn't love the soundtrack when I just listened to it, but after seeing the show I really like it a lot. I've seen it available on TDF.
If anyone has any teaching tips, I'm open.
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