YEAR 12 into 13..June 23rd/26th 2014

Great to have you lot back in the classroom for some soul food. Sorry about the timetable issues. Nowt to do with me as I have been really looking forward to our post-exam reunification!  The person responsible for the timetable chaos is living in a karmic universe so justice will be served. Anywayzzzz....the first two sessions considered the concept of THE CANON of ENGLISH LITERATURE and offered an INTRODUCTION TO THE GOTHIC LITERARY TRADITION.
Students were asked to consider the VALUE of canonical authors such as Blake,Wordsworth, Shakespeare and Dickens. Students were then asked to consider the value of authors such as KATIE TEMPEST and JOHN COOPER CLARKE. Class discussion considered the LITERARY VALUE of Clarke and Tempest. Can they be considered canonical? Is the CANON an outdated concept? The discussion broadened to discuss the purpose and value of LITERATURE.

In Thursday's session students continued to discuss issues relating to the CANON and discussed Charles Bukowski's THE LAUGHING HEART. Students also considered the thematic nature of  Poe's TELL TALE HEART and Maupassant's WAS IT A DREAM? Class discussion considered the content and stylistic features of these narratives with the aim of developing an understanding of the nature of 'gothic' literature.

HOMEWORK: Read the two 'gothic' short stories as we will continue to discuss their content on Monday. Read all the poems that I gave you last week.

Here are some links to the texts that we have discussed in the last two sessions:
KATIE TEMPEST:
http://becuriouslit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/resources-for-year-1213-thursday12th.html
JOHN COOPER CLARKE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4qN9pduox0
EDGAR ALLAN POE:
http://becuriouslit.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/edgar-allan-poe-tell-tale-heart.html

A2/ YEAR 13 REVISION TIPS.....

Now then folks. Here are a few tips for your reading and revision over this half-term:

• Students should be linking the theme of SIN AND PUNISHMENT across three texts. Students should be able to use textual reference to illustrate the nature of the sin and the nature of the punishment across three gothic texts.
• Students should be able to identify the nature of the suffering endured by characters that have transgressed the boundaries between Man and God.
• Students should be able to discuss how LOCATION is used as a SYMBOL in three texts.
• Students need to be able to discuss how symbolism is used to shape meaning across three texts.
• Students should be able to link themes across three texts. For example how does each author explore the theme of isolation?
• Students should be considering five or six critical comments relating to the nature of the gothic tradition. For example, we have used Angela Carter's 'a gothic text is a cruel text' as a starting point when considering the gothic tradition.
• Students must be linking texts to the gothic tradition. This is an area of our work that we need to improve.
• Students need to be able to explain how the characters of Victor, the creature, Justine, The Old Man, Faustus, Mephistophilis, Helen of Troy, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth..are used as symbols to shape meaning.

SEE YOU THURSDAY LIT FREAKS.

REVISION SESSION ON THURSDAY.

Just a reminder folks...next Thursday I will be offering a LIT revision class. We will begin at 11am.

HOW AND WHY WE READ: John Green.

Just in case the pressure of exam lunacy has inspired you to question why we bother to read books...watch this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSYw502dJNY

YEAR 13 LESSON FIFTY-SIX [21st May 14]: Homework

This session was a Section B timed essay. This was our last 'official' lesson as Friday is a Year 13 afternoon of sport. I have already marked the timed essays - they are pretty good- and if students pop and see me in the English Dept on Friday morning I will hand back your essay. The essays highlight the following issues:

• STUDENTS NEED TO MAKE MORE GOTHIC LINKS.
• QUESTION FOCUS NEEDS TO BE MORE PRECISE. THE FINAL THIRD OF THE PARAGRAPH STILL NEEDS TO BE MORE CONVINCING. USE THE LANGUAGE OF THE QUESTION IN YOUR CONCLUDING SENTENCES. For example the word 'orthodox' was a key word in one of the titles this morning. USE THE KEY WORDS WITHIN YOUR RESPONSE.
• MAKE SURE YOU PRODUCE A DETAILED ARGUMENT STRAIGHT AWAY. SOME OF YOU ARE NOT REALLY OFFERING A CONVINCING ARGUMENT UNTIL THE SECOND PAGE. DON'T WASTE TIME!!! PLAN CAREFULLY THEN PUNCH STRAIGHT INTO A DETAILED CRITICAL COMMENTARY.

The majority of the essays are fine.

Thanks so much for the book and, of course, the pies and the chicken. LITERATURE AND FOOD! My kind of culture. 

YOU LOT ARE MAGNIFICENT. 

IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE. 

NOW NAIL THAT EXAM.

HOMEWORK: Keep giving me essays. We will be having a revision session on the THURSDAY of half-term starting at 11am and finishing when you are bored. Bring some questions/areas that you would like to discuss. 

YEAR 13 LESSON FIFTY-FIVE [16th May 14]: Homework

The aim of this session was to examine the final soliloquy in Faustus. We may produce a paragraph on Wednesday in response to this section of the text.
Homework: Keep producing past essays. Keep Reading.

YEAR 13 LESSON FIFTY-FOUR [14th May 14]: Homework

Today's session examined the representation of Mephistophilis and how the comedic nature of this character could be considered 'a celebration of sin'. Class discussion considered the exam question discussed in the previous lesson before attempting a thirty minute written response.

HOMEWORK: KEEP WRITING ESSAYS. USE THE PAST PAPERS. KEEP READING. If you are not attempting to construct timed essays you are not really preparing for the exam. Most students are bombarding me with essays but some have not produced an independent essay for four weeks. WAKE UP. Stop writing notes, stop pretending to be students, and start constructing some timed work. The only effective way to prepare for an exam that will expect you to construct two essays.....is to construct essays!!