Reply to: Exams again

[Pogle]

Don't worry. I was among the first year to do GCSE. Does that reassure you?

Nope, just makes me feel old

[d000hg]

why?

Simply because the vast majority of people don't like studying Shakespeare, so you're anomalous by definition if you did. I'm not saying you shouldn't like it, merely that it's unusual for people at GCSE age.

[vetran]

would have thought it was an instruction book for your esteemed customers

[Mich the Tester]

I can.

I particularly remember how much I hate William Frigging Golding & his unpleasant "Lord of the Flies" tome.

My pet hate in English Lit was the poem ' Mending Wall' by Robert Frost, thoroughly analysed by a bunch of pseuds here.

When asked what I had learnt from this poem I responded 'it's easier to hire a bricklayer'.

[MyUserName]

I can.

I particularly remember how much I hate William Frigging Golding & his unpleasant "Lord of the Flies" tome.

Why on earth were you memorising her GCSE books??!?!?!

[vetran]

Don't worry. I was among the first year to do GCSE. Does that reassure you?

youngster!

[Mich the Tester]

I am a bit conerned as Pogle jr will be one of the guinea pigs for this new qualification, and taking a new set of exams with no past papers and not knowing what to expect is a bit daunting.

Don't worry. I was among the first year to do GCSE. Does that reassure you?

[SueEllen]

I can't remember anything from the books I read at GCSE and I like reading.

Also as kids can't leave school or have to be an apprenticeship until they are 18, GCSEs should be scrapped.

[VectraMan]

Yep i can quote large chunks of Antony and Cleopatra, The Winters Tale, Keats and Goldsmith, and my A level english lit gave me a lifelong love of Jane Austin, and Arthur Miller.

Ah yes, The Crucible. One of the few things I really did enjoy in English Lit class. Thanks Goody Pogle.

[Zippy]

I liked the analytical side of reviewing the books, and plays as well, for it taught you to look for words, ideas, where you wouldn't normally think there were some.

WOHS. It drew you into looking at the politics and social customs of the day.

Bill Bryson's book on Shakespeare is an interesting read, btw.

[Pogle]

I am a bit conerned as Pogle jr will be one of the guinea pigs for this new qualification, and taking a new set of exams with no past papers and not knowing what to expect is a bit daunting.

[MyUserName]

I liked the analytical side of reviewing the books, and plays as well, for it taught you to look for words, ideas, where you wouldn't normally think there were some.

Yep, it is a lot about developing analysis skills.

[MyUserName]

I did my GCSEs (General Certificate Sent to Everyone) 20 years ago. For English we did several books including the whole of the Merchant of Venice. I have not really noticed but I can quote chunks of still too. We did a lot of poetry too. We did not really do English Language as such.

Maths topped out at quadratic equations, the COS rule and advanced simultaneous equations. By the time the exam came it was a doddle. I used to do maths passed papers as a revision break from other subjects.

Cannot really remember the other subjects' contents.

However, only 1 girl got straight As (we were before A*s) and she went on to get straights As at A level (I think she might have been the only one again but there might have been one other guy too) and then went to Oxford to do Chemistry. Hence I am pretty confident that this was if not before then just at the start of the standards slip.

[Mich the Tester]

I liked the analytical side of reviewing the books, and plays as well, for it taught you to look for words, ideas, where you wouldn't normally think there were some.

Alright then, I hated it but I suppose it's been of some value.

[Old Hack]

why?

I still grade things against Shylock's speech, Shakespeare was a lefty for his time.

Grumio is still one of my favourite characters. Reprised in most modern (19-20th century) comedies.

And

Romeo & Juliet is still a powerful plot device.

I did however have a gifted and dedicated English literature teacher.

Talking about the Canterbury tales have you seen the series of reworked in modern times ones, they were rather good.

It's d000hg, and he doesn't do fiction....



We did Richard III and I even performed in the play on Old Sarum one year.

Read lots of 18 and 19th century guff. We interestingly had to do creative writing as well, which was very enjoyable, for Eng Lit. I liked the analytical side of reviewing the books, and plays as well, for it taught you to look for words, ideas, where you wouldn't normally think there were some.