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1. Teacher-of-English.com My Polish Teacher’s Tie KS4 Prose Study

4. Teacher-of-English.com My Polish Teacher’s Tie KS4 Prose Study

5. My Polish Teacher’s Tie Objectives: To make predictions about the text To read and discuss the story

6. My Polish Teacher’s Tie Think about the title of the story. What do you think this story is going to be about?

7. Reading Read the story ‘My Polish Teacher’s Tie’. Discuss the plot, characters and language as you read. Make predictions.

8. Plenary Create a quick ten question quiz about the story. Get into pairs then try your quiz on a partner.

9. Teacher-of-English.com My Polish Teacher’s Tie Consolidating the Plot

10. Consolidating the plot Objectives: To create an improvisation based on the story To recap plot, character and themes To complete a comprehension task

11. Carla and Stefan At the end of the story Carla and Stefan meet. In pairs improvise the conversation. Carla tries to explain things to Stefan. What would she say? How would Stefan react?

12. Recap • Recap what happens in the story with a partner. • Discuss the following: • Plot • Character • Imagery • Themes

13. Carla’s Diary Entry • Imagine you are Carla. Think about what happened the day you met Stefan. • Write a diary entry describing the events. • Remember to use the key features of effective diary writing: • First person perspective • Personal pronouns • Use imaginative and vivid description • Include the main events of the story • Include Carla’s thoughts and feelings about what happened

14. Extension Task • Poland • Create a ‘Rough Guide to Poland’ leaflet for English teachers planning to go to Poland as part of the exchange programme. • To do this you will need to research information about Poland. Gather information about: • Education • Family life • Religion • Culture • Present your findings in the format of an A5 folded leaflet.

15. Plenary Volunteers read diary entries out to the class. Constructive criticism.

16. Teacher-of-English.com My Polish Teacher’s Tie Carla Carter

17. Characters Objectives: To identify character descriptions from the story To analyse the character of Carla To write a paragraph about Carla

18. Who is it? Read the quotes below then decide who it is and explain how you knew. One has been done for you.

19. Carla Think about the character of Carla. What words or phrases could you use to describe her?

20. Character In ‘My Polish Teacher’s Tie’ Helen Dunmore writes in the first person. Everything is perceived from Carla’s viewpoint. We see events and people through her eyes. Carla’s words provide an insight into how she perceives herself, others and the world around her. 12th May Carla At the start of the story Carla introduces herself as …

21. Carla The quotes below are taken from the story. Study them very carefully. What do they reveal about Carla?

22. Carla

23. The Change in Carla Using your notes, write about how the character of Carla Carter develops over the course of the story. Below are a few sentence starters to help with your paragraph: Carla Carla is introduced to the reader at the start of the story where she refers to herself as… We learn a little about her background … Carla seems to have low self esteem in the first part of the story. She says … Carla’s character develops as the story unfolds. She becomes … By the end of the story she is … This change is due to …

24. Plenary Volunteers read out their paragraphs. Constructive criticism.

25. Teacher-of-English.com My Polish Teacher’s Tie Characters

26. Characters Objectives: To consolidate knowledge of the characters in the story To develop understanding of how the author uses archetypes To hotseat key characters

27. Characters In ‘My Polish Teacher’s Tie’ there are only a handful of characters. Apart from Carla there is Jade (Carla’s daughter), the Head, Stefan, Valerie Kenward and Susie Douglas. These characters are all seen through the eyes of Carla. They are not explored in detail and they do not develop as the story unfolds. It could be said that each character is an archetype. An archetypal character is one that exists to symbolise or represent an attitude or type of person. Look at the characters on the next page. Can you match the character with what they represent?

28. Archetypes Draw a line between the character and what they represent. Bigotry and ignorance Stefan The future for Eastern European immigrants living in the UK The Head The hope and high expectations of Eastern Europeans coming to the West Valarie Kenward Jade Carter Well meaning but patronising attitude to immigrants

29. Archetypes Link the character with what they represent. Bigotry and ignorance Stefan The future for Eastern European immigrants living in the UK The Head The hope and high expectations of Eastern Europeans coming to the West Valarie Kenward Jade Carter Well meaning but patronising attitude to immigrants

30. In the hotseat Think about the following characters: Carla, Stefan, the Head, Valarie Kenward. What would they be thinking and feeling at the end of the story?

31. In the hotseat Split into groups of four. Each member of the group must assume the identity of a character from the story (either Carla, Stefan, the Head or Valarie Kenward) or a questioner. The questioner will put forward a series of questions about the events of the story to each of the characters. Characters must respond to the questions in detail and in role, showing a depth of understanding of the character being portrayed. Some ideas for questions are included on the next slide. I feel like I’m beginning to know who I am. I am so excited to be here. He talks a bit funny. Who might say that?

32. Ideas for questions • The following are merely suggestions or starting points. Questioners should listen closely, challenge the characters’ responses and draw out detailed answers from the other members of the group. • Stefan, how did you feel when you met Carla? • Carla, why didn't you tell Stefan that you weren’t a teacher? • Valarie Kenward, what did you think when Carla and Stefan began to sing in the staffroom? • Headteacher, do you think that the pen friend scheme has been a success? Explain your answer.

33. Plenary • One or more groups could perform their hot seating to the class. • Audience members could ask questions to the characters. • Consider what you have learnt about the characters in this lesson.

34. Teacher-of-English.com My Polish Teacher’s Tie Consolidations and Symbolism

35. Consolidation & Symbolism Objectives: To consolidate understanding of character and narrative To analyse how the author uses symbolism

36. My Polish Teacher’s Tie How well have you understood the story so far? Answer the following questions. • Choose three words which describe Carla’s character. Explain your choices. • How does Carla change in the story? Why does she change? • Why is the pen friend relationship so important to Carla? • Why do you think the author includes the story of the bird trapped in the mine? What could this story symbolise? • What does Carla gain from her relationship with Stefan?

37. Symbolism The story of the bird trapped in a mine is an example of symbolism. The stranded bird ‘sang and sang until it died. Everyone heard it singing, but no one could find it’. Think about the image of the bird in the mine. What could it represent? Does its situation remind you of anyone from the story?

38. Symbolism in the story In ‘My Polish Teacher’s Tie’ the author uses symbolism to tell us more about the characters. Complete the table below showing how symbolism gives the reader an insight into character. An example has been done for you.

39. Symbolism Using your notes, write a paragraph explaining how and why Helen Dunmore uses symbolism in ‘My Polish Teacher’s Tie’. Below are a few sentence starters to help with your paragraph: Symbolism in ‘My Polish Teacher’s Tie’ Stefan’s tie is an example of how Helen Dunmore uses symbolism in the story. The tie represents… Earlier in the story Dunmore presents the image of the bird trapped in the mine. This symbolises … Carla’s uniform represents… And the Head’s papers symbolise…

40. Plenary Feedback your paragraph to the rest of the class.

41. Teacher-of-English.com My Polish Teacher’s Tie Themes

42. Identity and Immigration Objectives: To consolidate understanding of how the author explores the themes of identity and immigration in ‘My Polish Teacher’s Tie’

43. What is your identity? What do you understand by the word identity?

44. What is your identity? Your family How you dress What do you understand by the word identity? Where you live What makes you who you are? Religious beliefs Your culture

45. Thinking about identity • Answer the following questions in detail. • Has your identity changed over time? If so explain how and why? • How does Carla identify herself in the first paragraph of the story? • How does Carla’s identity change during the course of the story? Why does it change? • What part of her identity takes on greater importance for Carla as the story unfolds? • How does Carla’s personality change as she explores and rediscovers her heritage? • What happens to Carla when Stefan sings the Polish song at the end of the story? What is the significance of this? • What has Carla realised about her identity by the end of the story?

46. Immigration and social status Immigration is another important theme in the story. At the start Carla tells us that she’s half-Polish and adds that ‘they don’t know that here’. What does this quote suggest about Carla? Why do you think she has never told anyone at work that her mother was an immigrant? What does this suggest about her relationship with the school’s other members of staff?

47. Immigration and social status Carla has hidden her Polish heritage from her work colleagues as if she is ashamed or embarrassed by it. When Valarie Kenward mocks Stefan’s Polish accent Carla doesn’t say anything, as if she is afraid of challenging Valerie, her social superior. Carla has a lowly social status and equally low self esteem. She has an unskilled job which is poorly paid and she seems to feel inferior to those around her. She worries that when Stefan discovers that she is not a teacher he will dislike her. It isn’t until the end of the story, when she finally meets Stefan, that she gains the confidence to accept who she is and embrace her heritage.

48. Social Hierarchy Most societies have a hierarchy. Place the following roles in order of social status in a school. Explain your results. Headteacher Dinnerlady Head of Year Students Caretaker Teacher Receptionist

49. Social status ‘My Polish Teacher’s Tie’ contains characters that work closely together but are far apart when it comes to social status. You probably placed the Headteacher (the Head) at the top of the list, the teacher (Valerie Kenward) around the middle and the Dinnerlady (Carla) somewhere near the bottom. As a second generation immigrant and an unskilled worker Carla has a very low social status. In the story this is shown by the way in which people relate to her.

50. Thinking about social status • Answer the following questions in detail. • In the first paragraph Carla says ‘I like the kids’ but she doesn’t mention the teachers or her colleague in the kitchen. What could you infer from this? • Carla says ‘very keen on fairness, we are, here’ in paragraph two. Is she sincere here or is she being ironic. What does she mean by this? • In paragraph seven Carla says ‘Teachers are used to getting out of the way of catering staff without really seeing them’. What does she mean? • What does the Head say when Carla approaches him about the pen friends? What does this convey? • Why is Carla worried about Stefan coming to the school where she works? • Carla thinks about taking time off sick when Stefan comes to the school. What does this suggest about her? • How do the teachers speak to Carla at break and lunchtimes? • What is Valarie Kenward’s attitude to Stefan? Why does she act like this? Do you think she would speak about him the same way if he was English? Explain your answer.