Mrs Kay understands about the difficulties of the progress class, by being sympathetic to them. ‘Miss, do you think ill live somewhere like that when I m older? – Carol asked, ‘Well you could try love, eh?’ This shows she is supportive and likes to let the children think they have something more to come in life. She gives them more lea-way, by letting them go round the zoo by themselves, for example. She is trying to let the children enjoy life, since she knows there isn’t much later on for them. ‘We bring them to a pile of crumbling bricks and mortar, and they think they’re in the fields of heaven!’ This shows she understands how differently they think and feel about certain things.
Mr Briggs doesn’t understand the difficulties of being in the progress class, because he expects better from them all the time. ‘Don’t you what me young lady!’ is what he shouted at Linda. But this shows he disapproves of the children’s vocabulary. ‘Your father goes out to sea, does he?’ this shows he hasn’t ever really tried to put effort into talking to the children and finding out about themselves.
Mrs Kay doesn’t have many rules. She lets the children enjoy themselves and do whatever they want. ‘The only rule today, is to think of ourselves, and enjoy ourselves!’ Which suggests there was no rule implied, and anything is allowed.
Mr Briggs does have too many rules. He orders the children round, and expects them to sit still and be quiet all the time. ‘Sit down now. Come on! Move!!’ This shows he speaks to the children in not a nice way, and is ordering them to do something.
Secondly, I intend to explore both teachers’ opinions about discipline.
Mrs Kay believes the children should be allowed freedom and fun, and to be allowed to go off on their own, like at the zoo for example. ‘ooh just leave them, they’ll want to stretch their legs and let off a bit of steam.’ This suggests its as if she knows what the pupils want, and she is willing to give them it. She isn’t strict about letting the pupils go off independently, and seems to have masses of trust in them.
Mr Briggs doesn’t believe the children can be trusted, mostly because of the fact they haven’t been on a school trip before, so they wouldn’t really know how to behave, (like he said himself on the coach.) ‘You people act like animals! Animals! I’ve learned that trust is something you people don’t know about!’ This suggests he cant trust them at all, and doesn’t really care whether he insults them by calling them animals, and implying that they are stupid to not understand someone’s trust.
Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs have a mixed view on whether to trust the children. Mrs Kay for instance, has trust in them, and believes they are good, innocent children. She usually sees the good side of the children that most people do not see. Mr Briggs however, doesn’t believe he should trust the children. He doesn’t see the good side to the children, or puts trust into them. The children don’t like Mr Briggs much, so they only see him as a nasty teacher. ‘Well I don’t know whether these children can be trusted on their own!’ This shows, Mr Briggs cant see any actual reason for trusting the pupils and doesn’t intend to give them a chance.
Thirdly, I am going to look at Mrs Kay’s and Mr Briggs’s opinions about the point of school trips.
Mrs Kay believes the trip is a good opportunity to get out of Liverpool, and to let the children see what is past all the beaten up areas of their town. Its also a enjoyable day for them, and to see beautiful places, like Conwy castle. ‘I am not going to prevent the children from having fun.’ This shows she is all up for a fun day out, and to let the children learn about there is more than life in Liverpool.
Mr Briggs believes that school trips for the progress class are pointless, because the do not cooperate the way he would like them to. ‘It’s a shambles! The whole ill organised affair!’ This shows Mr Briggs doesn’t approve of how the children were behaving, and he thinks the trip is unnecessary.
Mr Briggs changes his mind about the children, after his talk with Carol, a member of the progress class. He realises life isn’t easy for the pupils, and feels sorry for them, knowing there isn’t really anything for them later in life. At the funfair, Briggs relaxes and finally has fun with the children. ‘Briggs is snapped at the high point of the big wheel, eating candyfloss.’ This shows he has realised that it isn’t all fun and games for them.
Finally, I intend to discuss Mrs Kay’s and Mr Briggs’s teaching style.
Mr Briggs finds Mrs Kay, a very lenient person, who lets the children off with certain things. He thinks she gets too close with the children. ‘She always reminds me of a mother hen than a teacher.’ This shows he doesn’t approve of the mother figure Mrs Kay portrays. ‘You wont educate them because no-one wants them educating!’ This shows he thinks its pointless educating the children, and wonders why Mrs Kay tries to.
Mrs Kay says its not worth teaching the children, because she knows most of them wont make it out of the progress class anytime soon, so why should they succeed in life? ‘Most of these children were rejects from the day they were born!’ This shows she understands the situation of some students, yet still tries to make them happy and enjoy themselves.
Mr Briggs believes the children need education, instead of having a friend in Mrs Kay, whom they see as a mother to them. ‘Most of them were born for factory fodder.’ This shows Mr Briggs himself knows that there isn’t much for them to do, but he would rather try and make the effort of educating them.
I agree with Mrs Kay, because she only wants the best for the pupils, and wants them to have fun. She enjoys being the mother figure, mostly because most the children themselves don’t have that at home.
Conclusion.
The character I like the best, is Mrs Kay. This is because she is fair, yet a fun, friendly person. She only wants the best for the children, and nothing more. She is friends with all the students and has jokes with them, making them feel wanted and loved. She is laidback, and at the least tries to get on with people, for example, Mr Briggs.
In my opinion, I think Mrs Kay would be best for the progress class. This is because she understands the hard life for all the pupils, and knows the non – existent future for them all. Yet she still attempts to make them happy and lets them have fun and makes life more enjoyable.
