Lesson flow
5 min
Opening Hook
Start the lesson by asking students if they have ever been misunderstood. Share a brief anecdote to engage students and encourage them to think about the theme of miscommunication.
15–20 min
Story Exploration
Read "The Expatriated Boss" aloud or have students read it in pairs. As they read, ask them to note any phrases or passages that stand out to them.
15 min
Analysis Exercises
Break students into small groups and provide them with guided questions to analyze:
10 min
Application/Reflection
Have students write a short paragraph reflecting on a time they experienced or witnessed a misunderstanding. Encourage them to connect their experience to the moral of the story.
5 min
Assessment Strategy
Conduct a quick quiz with multiple-choice questions about the story's plot and characters to assess comprehension.
STORY OVERVIEW
- Title and Moral/Theme: The Expatriated Boss; The moral of the story illustrates that sometimes, self-justification can lead to unexpected outcomes, revealing the complexities of human interactions and motives.
- Plot Summary: The story revolves around a boss who moves to Canada and is confronted by a citizen of Montreal, who accuses him of fleeing from prosecution. The boss, emotionally affected, defends his choice by claiming he was drawn to Canada's political landscape. In a twist of fate, their encounter ends with the boss receiving two watches, symbolizing unexpected outcomes from misunderstandings.
- Key Characters and Their Significance:
- The Boss: Represents self-justification and the complexity of motives behind decisions.
- The Citizen of Montreal: Symbolizes public perception and the consequences of assumptions.
LESSON FUNDAMENTALS
- Learning Objectives:
- Students will analyze the motivations behind characters' actions in the story.
- Students will discuss the implications of self-justification in real-life scenarios.
- Students will reflect on how misunderstandings can lead to unexpected outcomes.
- Students will identify the moral of the story and relate it to their own experiences.
- Discussion Questions:
- What do you think motivated the boss to move to Canada?
- How does the initial misunderstanding between the boss and the citizen reflect real-life interactions?
- In what ways can self-justification alter our perception of events?
- Required Materials:
- Copies of "The Expatriated Boss" story.
- Whiteboard and markers.
- Notebooks for reflections and notes.
Original text available on the story page.