HOMEWORK, WEEK 6-7

DUE: Thursday the 14th (Happy Valentine's ;) )

MATH: 4s and 5s multiplication worksheets

http://math.about.com/library/4times.pdf

http://math.about.com/library/5times.pdf

ENGLISH:

"Boy" Writing: Opinion (the students have this paper, as well as an extra sheet of proper white, lined paper for the writing)

Directions:

You are going to write an opinion piece based on Roald Dahl’s ideas about, and experiences with, “being hit by teachers in school”. As you know, throughout his schooling, he was ruled by many headmasters that punished children by caning them. Read the following and write as much as you can, using YOUR OWN IDEAS and OPINIONS…

                             “By now I am sure you will be wondering why I lay so much emphasis upon school beatings in these pages. The answer is that I cannot help it. All through my school life I was appalled by the fact that the masters and senior boys were allowed literally to wound other boys, and sometimes quite severely. I couldn’t get over it. I never have got over it. It would, of course, be unfair to suggest that all masters were constantly beating the daylights out of all the boys in those days. They weren’t. Only a few did so, but that was quite enough to leave a lasting impression of horror upon me. It left another more physical impression upon me as well. Even today, whenever I have to sit for any length of time on a hard bench or chair, I begin to feel my heart beating along the old lines that the cane made on my bottom some fifty-five years ago.

                             There is nothing wrong with a few quick sharp tickles on the rump. They probably do a naughty boy a lot of good. But this Headmaster we were talking about wasn’t just tickling you when he took out his cane to deliver a flogging… he was beating you severely”

So, what do you think about these experiences and feelings that Roald Dahl is trying to share with us? What is your opinion?

… about teachers hitting students in schools?

… Do you think it solves any problems?

…Why do you think the Headmaster did these things?

…Why do you think it is acceptable for some cultures (like some schools in the U.S.A., as we’ve discussed)  and in some time periods to hit children in schools?

Roald Dahl states, in the last few lines, that:

 “There is nothing wrong with a few quick sharp tickles on the rump. They probably do a naughty boy a lot of good. But this Headmaster we were talking about wasn’t just tickling you when he took out his cane to deliver a flogging”  

What do you think about this statement?