Sunday 27 May 2012

A TEACHER’S PRAYERS ( JILL WOLF )


I want to teach my students
more than lessons in a book;
I want to teach them
 deeper things that people overlook-
The value of a rose in bloom,
 its use and beauty, too
A sense of curiosity
to discover what is true;
How to think and how to choose
the right above the wrong,
How to live and learn each day
and grow up to be strong;
To teach them always how to gain
 in wisdom and in grace,
So they will someday
 make the world a brighter, better place.
 Let me be a friend and guide
 to give these minds a start
Upon their way down life’s long road,
then I’ll have done my part.

THANK YOU FOR  THE LOVELY  TEACHER'S DAY CELEBRATION





Friday 25 May 2012

QUESTIONS BASED ON NOVEL LEARNT


PMR QUESTIONS
·         You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on the question.
·         Give evidence or proof from the novel you have chosen to support your answers.
·         Your response should be:
in not less than 50 words
in continuous writing form

YEAR
QUESTION
2005
Based on one  the novels, write on one of the following moral values:
i.                    Honesty
ii.                  responsibility
2006
Choose one of the novels, explain why you like or dislike the ending of the story.
2007
Based on one novel you have read, write about how two characters work together to obtain success.
2008
Choose one of the novel, then write about an incident that you think is important.
2009
Based on one of  the novels, write about a relationship between friends in the story.
2010
Based on one of the novels, describe a good quality that you admire in a character in the novel.
2011
Based on one of the novels, describe an event that make you feel unhappy. Support your answer with evidence from the novel.
2012
?

MODEL QUESTION
1.    Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character you like/admire/your favourite character. Give reason for your choice.
2.    Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about the behavior of a character that you do not like/hate/dislike. Give reasons for your choice.
3.   Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character you think suffers a lot. Give reasons for your choice.
4.    Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character that you think is helpful. Give reasons for your choice.
5.  Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about characters that work together. Give examples of how they work together to support your answers.
6.     Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character you would or would not like to have as a friend. Give reasons for your choice.
7. Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character you think is unkind/cruel/wicked/evil. Give reasons for your choice.
8.      Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character that shows courage or bravery in the face of danger. Give reasons for your choice.
9.    Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character who is brave/courageous. Give reasons for your choice.
10.  Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a relationship that you think is interesting. Give reasons for your choice.
11.  Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character that you sympathise with. Give reasons for your choice.
12.  Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character that is persistent and determined to succeed. Give reasons for your choice.
13.  Based on the novel that you have chosen, write how love or friendship influences a character’s decisions.
14.  Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character who has to undergo hardship in order to survive. Give reasons for your choice.
15.  Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about a character who is kind. Give reasons for your choice.
16.  Based on the novel that you have chosen, write about two characters. Explain how they are similar and how they are different. Give reasons for your choice.
17.  Based on the novel that you have chosen, compare and contrast two characters. Support your answer by giving evidences from the novel.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

THE PMR LITERATURE COMPONENT : NOVEL


·         1 open-ended question, requiring a simple personal response
·         Choose 1 novel and answer the question

1.      PLOT
For the exam, you must be able to:
i.        Remember  the story and tell it in your own words
ii.      List the sequence of events as they occur in the story

How to  remember a story:
·         Remember the pattern of events
·         Remember the chapter titles
·         Create your own mental pictures
·         Ask WH-questions
2.      SETTING
There are two types of settings; social setting and physical setting.
For the exam, you must be able to:
·         Remember where and when a certain event takes place
·         Say why it is important in the story
3.      CHARACTERS
There are two main characters and minor characters.
For the exam, you must be able to:
·         Describe the main characters’ physical appearance and character traits
·         Describe minor characters and their qualities
·         Associate key words with characters
·         Compare and contrast characters
·         Understand the relationship between characters
·         Make conclusions about characters
·         Narrate the effects of a character’s actions
4.      THEMES
This element refers to the main idea or concern in a story.
For the exam, you must be able to:
·         Explain the themes in the story
·         Draw conclusions about the themes
·         Connect the themes in the story to specific characters in the novel
·         Discuss and relate these themes to your own life and society as a whole
5.      MORAL VALUES
Moral values refer to the lessons that we can learn from the story. It linked to the themes of the book.
For the exam, you must be able:
·         Draw values and lessons from the text
·         Discuss the values found in the story
·         Relate the values to your own life and society as a whole
6.      POINT OF VIEW
Point of view refer to the angle or perspective from which a story or event is seen. In order to understand this aspect, as yourself the following question: Who is telling the story?  The author or one more of the characters?
There are two main points of view; the first point  person of view and the third point person of view.
For the exam, you must be able to:
·         State the point of view in a story
·         Make inferences and draw conclusions about the author’s point of view.

Tuesday 15 May 2012

SOMETHING TO PONDER



WATCH YOUR
THOUGHTS
THEY BECOME
WORDS.
WATCH YOUR
WORDS,
THEY BECOME
ACTIONS.
WATCH YOUR
ACTIONS,
THEY BECOME YOUR
HABITS.
WATCH YOUR
HABITS,
THEY BECOME YOUR
CHARACTER.
WATCH YOUR
CHARACTER,
FOR IT
 WILL BECOME
YOUR DESTINY.
  

MAY I MAKE THIS DAY
A SPECIAL ONE
BY INVESTING AND
NOT SPENDING
BY LIVING AND
NOT OCCUPYING
BY LOVING AND
NOT FEARING
BY ENJOYING AND
NOT DESTROYING
BY WORKING AND
NOT IDLING
BY LEARNING AND
NOT WASTING
BY PRAYING AND
NOT YELLING


Monday 14 May 2012

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN: ELEMENTS



A.    PHYSICAL SETTING

1.      London, the capital city of England.
In this country the three children live with their parents in a warm house in the city before their father is being taken away by two men mysteriously.

2.      The house in the country
They live in a white house near a railway line. The children always sit on the wooden fence and wave to the passengers in the trains that pass by.



3.      The railway station

It has platform. The children make friend with Perks who works as a porter at the railway station.

4.      The tunnel

Some boys from Maidbridge’s  school run through this long tunnel in the paper-chase. The children, then, help a boy in a red T-shirt named Jim who suffered a broken leg while participating in the activity.

B.     SOCIAL SETTING
The story tells about a middle-class family living in England in the 20th century. The period is between 1900 and 1920 in England. They lead a happy life until their father is taken away mysteriously one night. They move to the country side and live in a white house near the railway line. They children wander around and meet kind and friendly workers at the railway station and make new friends with the villagers. The children save a train and are given a gold watch each.


 Their mother is not pleased at her children acts at first but realizes they are doing great living and making friends in the country side.


They received the medicine, delicious food and  twelve red roses from their new friend the old gentleman. 

They receive a present of gold watch each  from their friend the old gentleman 

The children collected presents  for Perks'  for his birthday


CHARACTERS
1.      The three children have some common character traits.

Loving,obedient,thoughtful,kind,helpful,hardworking,brave,clever,imaginative,loyal,polite, well-mannered, independent, adventurous and unsure of what is wrong and right.
i.                    Roberta @ Bobbie
She is the eldest child in the family and she is twelve years old. She is portrait  as responsible, brave, determined, devoted, loving, understanding and sensitive.
ii.                  Peter
He is the only boy in the family and the second child. He is 10 years old. His ambition is to become an engineer. Peter is a proud boy, brave, clever, resourceful and generous.
iii.                Phyliss
Being the youngest in the family she always tries to be good. She is a loving daughter and get upset easily.
2.      Mother

No name is mention in the story. She has to take care of the family after her husband was taken away. She loves reading books to her children and she writes stories to provide for her family. She is a loving and devoted mother. She is also a protective, brave, patience and strong lady. She is describe as comforting, positive, kind, proud and dignified too.
3.      The Old Gentleman

This gentleman rides on the 9.15 train every morning. He has white hair and looks kind. He knows the government people. He is Jim’s grandfather. He has the  character of a friendly, kind, polite, helpful and  generous old man.

MINOR CHARACTERS
1.      Father

He is a tall man and white-faced. He works with the government. He is a wonderful father that never gets angry and are always ready to play with his children. Sadly, he was accused of being a  spy and was arrested and jailed.
2.      Perks

Perks works as a porter at the railway station. He is a nice and friendly man. He is kind and polite but he dislikes being pitied by others. He is good at doing his job.
3.      The Station Master

He is a kind and friendly man too. He agrees to let Peter go after he arrested him for stealing the coal.
4.      Jim

He is the boy with the red t-shirt that broke his leg during the paper-chase. Jim is the old gentleman’s grandson. The children mother nurses him to health after the incident.
5.      The train driver and Jim, The fireman

They help Bobbie when she gets stuck on their train and help her mend Peter’s broken toy engine.
6.      The villagers and other people
Dr Forest : the village doctor, Mrs Viney: the  family helper, Mrs Perks: Perks’ wife and Ruth the family maid in London.

THEMES
1.      The importance of family love and loyalty
2.      Taking challenges with courage
3.      Facing challenges in life
4.      Growing up to be a well-mannered child
5.      The importance of friends
6.      The importance of community

MORAL VALUES
1.      Family love and loyalty
2.      Kindness and compassion
3.      Bravery
4.      Selfless acts

MESSAGES
1.      Family members must love and protect each other
2.      Community support is vital
3.      Facing challenges in life

POINT OF VIEW
The story is from the third person point of view

LANGUAGE AND STYLE
The writer uses simple and direct language to tell this story. Here are some of the examples:
1.      Direct speech
‘Wake up!’ she said. ‘We’re in the new house, don’t you remember?’ – page 8
2.      Simple description
There was a large kitchen with a stone floor, but there was no fire, and the room was cold.
3.      Simile
…it was like a terrible dream (page 40)
4.      Personification
‘ I wonder if the railway misses us’
5.      Contrast
The tunnel was dark after the  sunshine outside…(page 46)
6.      Symbolism
The railway is a symbol of hope : The railway brings their father back to them in the end (page 57)
7.      Red is a symbol of danger
The children make flags from red petticoats to warn the train of danger ( page 29)
8.      Repetition for emphasis
Well, I won’t know, I won’t know’ ( page 24)