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Orwell created his novel as a warning to society about the dangers of totalitarianism: To gain a broader understanding of why and how this novel remains relevant, student need to be able gauge Orwell's contextual motivations and worldview. There are many excellent sites available but what Orwell himself wrote about his authorial purpose is an excellent starting point. The following quote is a good discussion prompt about how writing can be skillfully used as a powerful political and allegorical tool for raising social awareness. ‘What I have most wanted to do throughout the past ten years is to make political writing into an art. My starting point is always a feeling of partisanship, a sense of injustice. When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ” I am going to produce a work of art.” I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing. But I could not do the work of writing a book, or even a long magazine article, if it were not also an aesthetic experience.
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 Syllabus changes have brought challenges and we have lost some well-loved texts but new texts such as Eileen Chong's poetry are exciting new options on the list. Once the dust settles, and all the hard work in choosing texts has been done, the benefits within the NEW Syllabus will be more apparent. TTA workshops will no longer be running face to face workshops. I am working towards offering my own face-to-face workshops as well as podcasts and online presentations later in the year. At present however, my focus is on finishing off the first four textbooks for the new syllabus. I have decided to single single text detailed booklets rather than compiled versions. For 'Human Experiences', each 'Textual Study' will be approximately 65 A4 pages long. The aim is to provide teachers with real analytical depth. The first four include the following, largely because NESA have given some sample guidelines for how to approach them.
The following textual studies will be
 So Calling all English Teachers
Get back to me with your text choices for the Common Module as well as your Advanced and Standard Modules. That will help me choose which texts to focus on. Looking forward to you getting in touch with what texts suit the programs you have decided on. Also get in touch if you are interested in organising Student or Staff workshops.  Mixed Messages Like many other teachers, it is annoying to get different information about the likely release date of the syllabus and new text list. When I rang the previously named BOS, I was firmly told that there would nothing before the end of Term 1 because there was still lots to done or finalised. When I spoke to someone else 'in the know' however, they were quite positive that it would be in early February. We already know that AOS and related texts are out and more textually specific analysis are in but only some seem to know anything more detailed than that. Since there are already dates being posted for teacher workshops regarding the new syllabus, it seems likely that it will be not that many weeks away. It is not worth getting concerned about information that the vast majority of us have no access to. The powers that be, whatever new acronym is used, will release the long awaited documents to when they think fit. I only hope that they provide 'rich' resources for new indigenous and other prescribed texts. Hope this week is not frenzied. Barbara  The last BOS newsletter informed teachers that the new Senior text list would be available early 2017. A positive spin was given by saying that it would give Year 11 teachers a whole year to get ready for the 2018 HSC exam. I am sure many are interested in finding out what texts have been retained and what the 75% of new texts will be but feel that twelve months is insufficient time to check out, program or resource the changes.Hopefully resources will be made available to both DET and Independent school teachers to make this an easier process.  The drilling down that typically happens in schools once the results are released can be a traumatic experience. Principals often highlight the failures or weaknesses rather than the successess. Rather than an inclusive pat on the back, too ofter it is a mantra of having to do better next time. Too little recognition is given to thos thousands of teacher who work slavishly with their Year 12 classes, regardless of the 'exam results' they might be capalb e of achieving. The learning process should be recognised in itself because as teachers well know, the vast majority of students are not able to access those lofty heights achieved by the few. Congratulations to all teachers who tried to engage, support and guide their students to the best of their abilities. I hope you all enjoy a well-earned break. A pity a return to work next year will welcome in a new round of syllabus documents. |
I am an experienced H.T. English, author and presenter. Archives
March 2018
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Orwell created his novel as a warning to society about the dangers of totalitarianism: To gain a broader understanding of why and how this novel remains relevant, student need to be able gauge Orwell's contextual motivations and worldview. There are many excellent sites available but what Orwell himself wrote about his authorial purpose is an excellent starting point. The following quote is a good discussion prompt about how writing can be skillfully used as a powerful political and allegorical tool for raising social awareness. ‘What I have most wanted to do throughout the past ten years is to make political writing into an art. My starting point is always a feeling of partisanship, a sense of injustice. When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ” I am going to produce a work of art.” I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing. But I could not do the work of writing a book, or even a long magazine article, if it were not also an aesthetic experience.
Syllabus changes have brought challenges and we have lost some well-loved texts but new texts such as Eileen Chong's poetry are exciting new options on the list. Once the dust settles, and all the hard work in choosing texts has been done, the benefits within the NEW Syllabus will be more apparent. TTA workshops will no longer be running face to face workshops. I am working towards offering my own face-to-face workshops as well as podcasts and online presentations later in the year. At present however, my focus is on finishing off the first four textbooks for the new syllabus. I have decided to single single text detailed booklets rather than compiled versions. For 'Human Experiences', each 'Textual Study' will be approximately 65 A4 pages long. The aim is to provide teachers with real analytical depth. The first four include the following, largely because NESA have given some sample guidelines for how to approach them.
The following textual studies will be
So Calling all English Teachers
Get back to me with your text choices for the Common Module as well as your Advanced and Standard Modules. That will help me choose which texts to focus on. Looking forward to you getting in touch with what texts suit the programs you have decided on. Also get in touch if you are interested in organising Student or Staff workshops. Mixed Messages Like many other teachers, it is annoying to get different information about the likely release date of the syllabus and new text list. When I rang the previously named BOS, I was firmly told that there would nothing before the end of Term 1 because there was still lots to done or finalised. When I spoke to someone else 'in the know' however, they were quite positive that it would be in early February. We already know that AOS and related texts are out and more textually specific analysis are in but only some seem to know anything more detailed than that. Since there are already dates being posted for teacher workshops regarding the new syllabus, it seems likely that it will be not that many weeks away. It is not worth getting concerned about information that the vast majority of us have no access to. The powers that be, whatever new acronym is used, will release the long awaited documents to when they think fit. I only hope that they provide 'rich' resources for new indigenous and other prescribed texts. Hope this week is not frenzied. Barbara The last BOS newsletter informed teachers that the new Senior text list would be available early 2017. A positive spin was given by saying that it would give Year 11 teachers a whole year to get ready for the 2018 HSC exam. I am sure many are interested in finding out what texts have been retained and what the 75% of new texts will be but feel that twelve months is insufficient time to check out, program or resource the changes.Hopefully resources will be made available to both DET and Independent school teachers to make this an easier process. The drilling down that typically happens in schools once the results are released can be a traumatic experience. Principals often highlight the failures or weaknesses rather than the successess. Rather than an inclusive pat on the back, too ofter it is a mantra of having to do better next time. Too little recognition is given to thos thousands of teacher who work slavishly with their Year 12 classes, regardless of the 'exam results' they might be capalb e of achieving. The learning process should be recognised in itself because as teachers well know, the vast majority of students are not able to access those lofty heights achieved by the few. Congratulations to all teachers who tried to engage, support and guide their students to the best of their abilities. I hope you all enjoy a well-earned break. A pity a return to work next year will welcome in a new round of syllabus documents. |
I am an experienced H.T. English, author and presenter. Archives
March 2018
Categories
|
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