Home assignment

1. Read another excerpt from the novel by Frank McCourt. Analyze the description of adolescents in the book. List the things you agree with and the things you don’t.

Text 2C

From TEACHER MAN by Frank McCourt

T wice a year at McKee we had Open School Day and Open School Night, when parents visited the school to see how their children were faring. Teachers sat in classrooms talking to parents or listening to their complaints. Most visiting parents were mothers because that was the job of the woman. If the mother found her son or daughter was misbehaving or not performing well then it would be up to the father to take steps. Of course the father would take steps only with the son. The daughter was a matter for the mother. It wouldn't be right for a father to knock his daughter around the kitchen or tell her she was grounded for a month. Certain problems belonged to the mother. Also, they had to decide on how much information to give the father. If the son was doing poorly and she had a violent husband she might soften her story so that her boy would not wind up on the floor with blood streaming from his nose.

Sometimes a whole family might come to visit the teacher and the room would be packed with fathers and mothers and small chil­dren running up and down the aisles. The women talked to one another in a friendly way, but the men sat quietly at desks that could barely accommodate their size.

No one ever told me how to handle parents on Open School Day. My first time at McKee, I had a student monitor, Norma, who gave out numbers so that parents would know who was next.

First, I had to deal with the problem of my accent, especially with the women. As soon as I opened my mouth they'd say, Oh, my God, what a cute brogue. Then they'd tell me how their grand­parents came from the Old Country, how they came here with noth­ing and now owned their own gas station out in New Jersey. They wanted to know how long I was in this country and how I got into teaching. They said it was wonderful I was a teacher because most of our people were cops and priests and they'd whisper there were too many Jews in the school. They'd send their kids to Catholic schools except that Catholic schools were not known for vocational or technical training. It was all history and prayers, which was all right for the next world, but their kids had to think about this world. No disrespect intended. Finally, they'd ask how was he doing, their little Harry?

I had to be careful if the dad was sitting there. If I made negative comments about Harry the dad might go home and punch him and word would get out to my other students that I was not to be trusted. I was learning that teachers and kids have to stick together in the face of parents, supervisors and the world in general.

I said positive things about all my students. They were attentive, punctual, considerate, eager to learn and every one of them had a bright future and the parents should be proud. Dad and Mom would look at each other and smile and say, See? or they'd be puzzled and say, You talkin' about our kid? Our Harry?

Oh, yes. Harry.

Does he behave himself in class? Is he respectful?

Oh, yes. He contributes to all our discussions.

Oh, yeah? That's not the Harry we know. He must be different in school because at home he's a regular little shit, excuse the lan­guage. Home we can't get a word out of him. Can't get him to do nothing. All he wants is to sit an' listen to that goddamn rock Yi' roll day an' night, day an' goddamn night.

The dad was vehement. It's the worst thing ever happened to this country with that Elvis shakin' his ass all over television, excuse the language. I'd hate to have a daughter in this day and age watching that crap. Got a good mind to throw that phonograph in the garbage. I'd dump the TV, too, but I gotta have a little relaxation the end of a day on the piers, know what I mean?

Other parents became impatient and inquired, sarcastically polite, if there was a possibility I could get away from discussions of Elvis Presley and talk to them about their sons and daughters. Harry's par­ents informed them it was their turn to see about their kid. It was a free country, last they'd heard, and they weren't gonna be cut off in

Next day everyone had excuse notes, not only from Adam and Eve but from God and Lucifer, some compassionate, some nasty. On behalf of Eve, Lisa Quinn defended her seduction of Adam on the grounds that she was tired of lying around Paradise doing nothing day in, day out. She was also tired of God sticking His nose into their business and never allowing them a moment of privacy. It was all right for Him. He could go off and hide behind a cloud somewhere and roar from time to time if He saw her or Adam go near his pre­cious apple tree.

There are heated discussions about the relative guilt and sinful­ness of Adam and Eve. It is agreed, unanimously, that Lucifer the Snake is a bastard, a son of a bitch and no good. No one is so brave as to say anything negative about God although there are hints and suggestions He could have been a little more understanding of the plight of the First Man and the First Woman.

Mikey Dolan says you could never talk like this in Catholic schools. Jesus (sorry), the nuns would pull you out of your seat by the ears and have your parents in to explain where you got ideas that were pure blasphemy.

Other boys in the class, non-Catholics, brag they'd never put up with that bullshit. They'd knock the nuns on their ass and how come all them Catholic boys were such sissies?

The discussion was drifting and I worried that details might get back to Catholic parents who would object to a mention of nuns being treated roughly. I asked them to think about anyone in the world at present or in history who could use a good excuse note.

I wrote the suggestions on the blackboard:

Eva Braun, Hitler's girlfriend.

I asked, How about Hitler himself?

Naw, naw, never. No excuses there.

But maybe he had a miserable childhood.

They wouldn't agree. An excuse note for Hitler might be a great challenge for a writer but the excuse would never come from this class.

On the board: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, executed in 1953 for treason.

How about excuse notes for draft dodgers?

Oh, yeah, Mr. McCourt. These guys have big excuse notes. They don't wanna fight for their country but that's not us.

On the board: Judas, Attila the Hun, Lee Harvey Oswald, Al Capone, all the politicians in America.

Yo, Mr. McCourt, could you put teachers up there? Not you but all these pain-in-the-ass teachers that be giving us tests every other day. Oh, I couldn't do that. They're my colleagues. OK. OK, we can write excuse notes for them explaining why they have to be like that.

2. Work individually. On the basis of what you have read, write a brief professional evaluation (200+ words) of the teacher’s qualifications as an educator. Point out his achievements and areas where he needs to improve his skills.

3. Watch Lean on Me and enjoy every minute of it. It’s good stuff.

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Topic 1.1

TEACHER, PREACHER…

CLASS 4: “LABORATORY WORK”

1. Organize free-style communication session based on the ideas, evaluations and impressions of Classes 1 – 3. You may choose from several options.

A. Watch more episodes from the three movies (choose from 12 episodes). Comment on them in various ways.

B. Produce the results of Internet research based on the teachers in question and their work.

C. Share the favorite passages from the books mentioned (and more).

D. Share written work samples – read, evaluate, improve.

E. Share your personal vocabulary notes with other students.

F. Produce extra pieces of poetry about school and teaching.

2. In-class writing. Produce a summary view on the material of classes 1 – 4. The text should contain no less than 300 words, have a memorable title, and be finished in 30 minutes.

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Topic 1.1

SUMMARY VIEW

Dear Student Teacher,

As a result of those three classes you are supposed to have become much more intelligent and profession-oriented.

(1) You may have watched Dangerous Minds, Detachment, and Lean on Me and have found them great films. Tell your friends about them.

(2) You may have written down many of the nice phrases spoken by the characters in those movies, which must have improved your English. Share them with other students.

(3) You learned about several good books worth reading such as My Posse Don’t Do Homework by LouAnne Johnson, Teacher Man by Frank McCourt, and Daddy’s Girl by Lisa Scottoline. Find them or borrow them from someone else and read them.

(4) You must have talked and written about the problem of establishing communication in the classroom, which is central to the teachers’ job. This may have helped you to become a somewhat better communicator, right?

(5) You might have had an epiphany. Or two. Is that so? If yes, we are happy for you. If not yet, go on working. It will come to you.

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