I'm a foe to Eddie Williams because my skin is white; to Joe Ferone because I am a teacher; to Carrie Paine because I am attractive. [….]

The frightening thing is their unquestioning acceptance of whatever is taught to them by anyone in front of the room. This has nothing to do with rebellion against authority; they rebel, all right, and loudly. But it doesn't occur to them to think.

There is a premium on conformity, and on silence. Enthusiasm is frowned upon, since it is likely to be noisy. The Admiral had caught a few kids who came to school before class, eager to practice on the typewriters. He issued a manifesto forbidding any students in the building before 8:20 or after 3:00 – outside of school hours, students are "unauthorized."

They are not allowed to remain in a classroom unsupervised by a teacher. They are not allowed to linger in the corridors. They are not allowed to speak without raising a hand. They are not allowed to feel too strongly or to laugh too loudly. [….]

Communication. If I knew how to reach them, I might be able to teach them. I asked them to write for me what they had covered so far in their high school English, and what they hoped to achieve in my class. Their papers were a revelation: I saw how barren were the years they brought me; I saw how desperately they need me, or someone like me. There aren't enough of us. Yet – with all my eagerness to teach, teaching is the one thing Calvin Coolidge makes all but impossible.

It's so good to have you to write to!

Love, Syl

P. S. Did you know that in New York City there are more than 800 schools, over 86 high schools, and about one million pupils? And that out of every 100 children who start school, only 15 go on to receive a college diploma? For most, this is all the education they'll ever get.

Pupils’ Letters from the Suggestion box

1. In these "distressful times" when any day the whole world can just as soon "blow up" I enjoy "poetry". The way your tone of voices make it sound in changing it to sadness or happiness or whatever it is suited for, depending on the "poem". I went to the school "library" to look for more "Frost" but it was closed.

Chas. H. Robbins

2. I don't like the way you read, too emoting, and over our heads.

Yr Emeny

3. You gave me the courage to read a book.

Reader

4. Don't ever change! There is a pleasing way in your manner of dressing (red suit) and shape. With you I could spend a whole day with nothing but English.

A Bashful Nobody

5. I never in my life used to have use for poems but when you read it aloud it makes the words come true. If everyone would read it the way you do no one would be left hating poems. Can you recommend another poem?

Jose Rodriguez

6. What I like about you is you're brainy. In a nice way. I wish I could have you always but have to quit and go to work so must say a sincere goodbye.

Dropout

7. I suggest more quiet classrooms because I like to sleep a lot.

Dead To The World

8. Don't be so kind-hearted because people take advantage. For instants, when I didn't do my homework and you gave me a break by letting me hand it in tomorrow, I felt I was a big shot and didn't have to do things till the last moment. Don't worry, I broke out of it very fast but with someone else it might have been bad for you. Well, don't take it so hard.

9. It is my considerable opinion that you are very well qualified. No matter how boring the lesson you always make it interesting. I suggest you continue your enjoyable and educational teachings.

Harry A. Kagan

(The Students Choice)

10. You really made me get to the bottom of Julius Caesar.

Stander

11. You are the most understanding person I ever knew and the best English teacher I ever had, and that includes other subjects. This comes from the heart and not the mouth.

Carole Blanca

12. Teachers are ruining America.

Zero

As far as marks

1. As far as marks, you can either better yourself or become lower. Marks can be fair or unfair depending on how the student answers questions from the teacher and whether or not the teacher asks the questions a student can answer.

Harry A. Kagan

(The Students Choice)

2. Teachers too stingy with the marks and unfair in dishing them out. Questions are too prejudiced and tests are too hard.

Edward Williams, Esq.

3. Do away with them, after all we can get along in our social life without marks.

Linda Rosen

4. Marks are important because for colleges or jobs they want your average and the average for the subject is made up of marks and the average for the term is made up of the average of the different subjects and the average for all terms is what they want.

Crammer

5. I think class discussion should be counted and not tests because you can say what you really think and not what they want you to say.

Carole Blanca

6. Marks encourage us to cheat though I personally don't.

Honest Abe

7. Exams show more the paper and not the individual.

Unofficial Suggestions

Semuel Bester, Chairman of the English Language Arts Department, sat in at Sylvia’s lesson. For a school authorities he wrote a formal Observation report. To Sylvia he gave a list of unofficial suggestions:

[…] 1. Relating questions to the pupils' own experiences is first rate, but don't let them run away with you. They often do it to delay or avoid a lesson. […]

2. Don't allow one student (Kagan?) to monopolize the discussion. Call on the non-volunteers too.

3. Always ask the question first; then only call on a student by name, thus engaging the whole class in thinking. Avoid elliptical, loaded or vague questions, such as: "How do you feel about this poem?" […]

4. Your unfailing courtesy to the students is first rate. A teacher is frequently the only adult in the pupil's environment who treats him with respect. […]

5. Enthusiasm is contagious. I'm glad you're not ashamed to show you are moved by emotion or excited by an idea. […]

6. The less a teacher talks the better the teacher. Don't feed them; elicit from them. Learning is a process of mutual discovery for teacher and pupil. Keep an open mind to their unexpected responses. […]

7. Don't allow the lesson to end on the wrong note. […]

8. Your quick praise of pupil effort and your genuine interest in what they say are first rate! It's fine for the girls to emulate you and for the boys to try to please you. But there are certain hazards in looking too attractive.

There is no question in my mind but that you are a born teacher.

    Samuel Bester

Reading.

I. SKIMMING

1. Look at the title of the novel by B. Kaufman and say what you think the text is going to be about?

2. Glance through the passages from the novel Up the Down Staircase by B. Kaufman to check or correct your predictions.

3. Read the given extract to find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible.

1. Why does Sylvia question (What makes Sylvia doubt) the possibility of great changes in the public high school system in the near future?

2. What does the English syllabus induces? (What aim does the English syllabus set the teacher?)

3. What causes difficulties in the teacher’s attempt to imbue the pupils with love of literature?

4. What is the background of the majority of American children?

5. How does Sylvia characterize fellow-teachers ?

6. How did Miss Barrett classify her fellow-teachers?

7. What did Sylvia install the Suggested Box for?

8. Why is she still the Alien and the Foe to most of the children?

9. What is the most frightening thing about her pupils?

10. What rules must the teachers and pupils abide by?

11. What makes up the greater part of the dropouts in New York City?

12. Is there anything children like/dislike about Sylvia’s manner of teching?

13. What arguments do the students give for and against the system of marks at schools?

14. What suggestions did Samuel Bester make after he had attended one of Sylvia’s lessons. What did he like about her lesson?

II. TARGETING READING (READING FOR DETAIL)

1. Which FOUR of the following are given in the reading passages?

a) high standards of American education;

b) the teacher’s approval of the way the kids are supposed to teach;

c) the students’ unwillingness to think;

d) initiative and enthusiasm are not encouraged in New York city schools;

e) the students’ extracurricular activities;

f) a severe criticism of Sylvia’s lesson;

g) the students’ ideas of improving the process of teaching.

2. Complete each sentence with the phrases from the text.

1. The books we are required to teach …

2. I have let it …

3. But I am still the Alien and the Foe …

4. The frightening thing is

5. This comes from …

6. As far as marks,

7. Exams show more …

8. Don't allow one student …

9. Avoid elliptical …

10. Don't allow the lesson …

3. Elucidate the meaning of the following words and word combinations taking into account the context they are used in.

Teaching “not the subject but the whole child”; the English Syllabus urges “individualization and enrichment”; to bring out the best in him; to enlarge his scope beyond the prescribed work; to “motivate and distribute books”; plain impossible; who manage to teach against insuperable odds; brilliantly endowed teacher; work their magic in the class; a field of faces; the rebellion against authority; in these distressful time; get to the bottom; teachers too stingy with the marks; they want your average; unfailing courtesy;

III. FOCUS ON VOCABULARY

1. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT

Find the words in the text that correspond to the following meanings.

1. _________ the improvement of the quality of something, especially adding something to it. (enrichment)

2. _________ absolutely. (plain)

3. _________ very keen and excited about something that is going to happen or about something you want to do. (eager)

4. ______ fully grown and developed (mature)

5. _____ to be subjected to an action, influence, or condition. (to be exposed)

6. _____ the state of having more of something than you need (oversupply)

7. _____ impossible to deal with (insuperable)

8. _____ behaviour that obeys the accepted rules of society or a group, and is the same as that of most other people (conformity)

9. _____ unproductive of results or gains (barren)

10. _____ (emulate)

2. DICTIONARY SKILLS

Match the following common “work” expressions with their meanings.

Task n. – 1. A piece of work assigned or done as part of one’s duties: daily tasks. 2. A difficult or tedious undertaking: the task of building a nation. *take to task – to scold sbdy.: The teacher took all of us to task for not doing our homework

Synonyms: task, job, chore, assignment. These nouns mean a piece of work that one must do. Task means a well-defined responsibility that is something burdensome and is usually required by sbdy. else: The receptionist’s main task is to answer the telephones. Job often means a short-term piece of work: We spent day doing odd jobs around the house. Chore often means a minor, routine, or odd job: I have to finish my chores before I’m allowed to go out. Assignment usually means a task given to one by a person in authority: For tonight’s assignment, read the first chapter.

task force n. A temporary grouping of forces and resources for a specific goal: a military task force.

(Essential Academic Vocabulary)

1. _____ a permanent job

2. _____ a group of people in a society who usually earn relatively little money in jobs that may involve physical labour

3. _____ the likelihood that a job will last a long time

4. _____ small tasks and repairs that need to be done around the house.

5. _____ the place where people perform their work.

6. _____ getting initial experience while working

7. _____ physical exercise

8. _____ objects such as paintings, drawings, and statures.

9. _____ the amount of work to be done in a specific period of time

10. _____ sent to work overseas by one’s company

11. _____ a list and responsibilities and task for a job

12. _____ the positive feeling of knowing that a job is meaningful

13. _____ a person who is addicted to working all the time

(a steady job, foreign assignment, job description, job satisfaction, job security, odd jobs, on-the-job training, task force, workaholic, working class, workload, workout, workplace, works of art)

3. PHRASAL VERBS