Being a Parent...

Being a parent isn't a child's game.
You need to be responsible
and don't expect any fame.
You have to be strict,
but also light,
You have to put boundaries,
but also be nice.
Being a parent isn't a child's game,
but the hardest part is
to let go of them. 

This is wonderful! You are quite a talent!
Daphna

Letter to the Editor

26 Gefen St 

Tel Aviv

58431

August 22, 2013

The Editor
Ha’aretz Daily Newspaper Ltd.
21 Salman Schocken St.

Tel Aviv 

61001

Dear Editor, 

I am writing in response to an article I just read called "Israel suspends standardized tests", which was posted in the weekend edition of your newspaper. The article was about The Ministry of Education's decision on cancelling the Meitzav tests. I fully agree with what you're saying in the article and think it's about time someone made that decision.   

As all of us, students, know what happens during the preparations for the Meitzav tests: all the schools in Israel hold their breathes, the teachers teach full speed and we collapse under the pressure of succeeding in the exams. 

Well, as someone who had to live through it for twelve years, let me say how relieved I am that my younger siblings won't have to go through what I did.

The adults reading this article and this letter are probably wondering why these tests are so stressful for their children. Well, I say it's more than just this one test – it's about the whole attitude towards education in this country, reflected in this test. Education in Israel has become about measuring different students with the same ineffective, stressful tool. All of us are different people with different skills and different points of view, so why evaluate us in the same way?  

Like the quote of the Minister of Finance, Yair Lapid, in your article said: "Education isn't about measurement, but about learning…knowledge and intellect shouldn't be graded". It's clear that The Meitzav tests are just another way to grade the students, not a way to improve the education system in Israel. In fact, they even cause unhealthy competition between schools in the race for the best results in the country.

To sum up, I want to give The Ministry of Education my support in their decision and hope for more changes in  favor of the students in the education system. 

Sincerely yours, 

Clara Gray  

Excellent!!!!
(100)
Dahna

  

As I Grew Older

Bridging Text and Context 
p. 54 

How is the information above reflected in the poem "As I Grew Older"?
Based on the information above, do you think that the speaker in the poem is really the poet? Could the events in the poem reflect events in the life of the poet? Why or why not?

 The information given is about Langston Hughes, the poet of "As I Grew Older". It says that Hughes tried to capture the African Americans' experiences and culture in his writings. He was proud of his African heritage and believed that through art, such as literature and music, he can challenge racial stereotypes and work for equal civil rights for African Americans in the US.

In the poem "As I Grew Older", the speaker describes a childhood dream which is being kept away from him by a dark wall. After struggles, the speaker tries to break through the wall with his dark hands, and smash it "into a thousand lights of sun". The wall is probably a metaphor for the racism in the United States of the 20's, which was created by the Segregation Laws that discriminated African Americans and prevented them from getting equal rights.

Hughes was a member of an artistic movement called the "Harlem Renaissance", that had the same goals as he had in his writing. They wanted to introduce their culture to the white people, and therefore, overcome the ignorance that led people to fear  them and ban them from the society. Considering this, it makes sense that the poem "As I Grew Older" is about Hughes himself, who had to fight for his freedom through his poems.

In conclusion, the poem "As I Grew Older" reflects the reality of the African Americans in the 20's, that overshadowed their lives and depressed them. Moreover,  Hughes' life story and ideals makes me think that he wrote this poem about his own experiences in life and about his determination to fight for his beliefs instead of being a victim. 

Excellent!
(100)
Daphna

Introduction To Poetry - Post Reading

Post Reading Activity
How can poetry (or literature) be taught? State which way you would prefer to read poetry.

 The Best Way To Teach Literature

Lots of schools nowadays teach literature in the old fashion way. Teachers usually introduce to their students what the literary piece is about, read it once or twice and then go straight to analyzing it. Sometimes the teacher asks the students to analyze the literary piece themselves, which is  supposed to force the students into actual effort, trying to understand the meaning of the poem or the story they study. I keep asking myself: Is it the best way to teach literature?

Well, I think the final answer is no. This teaching way is cold, unhelpful and guarantees students will learn little about literature except that it’s boring. Literature is a wide subject with many different angles, which anyone can find something to connect to. I think that most students would find literature very interesting if it was taught in the right way. Some will ask the question: why is it so important that students find interest in Literature? Well, I think Literature can help students solve their problems in life, because lots of poems and stories are about facing the dificulties in life. Therefore, if students are taught Litretuare the right way, most of them will find it interesting and ,perhaps, learn from it and gain new perspectives about situations in life.

Then, what is the right way? I am not exactly sure but it certainly has to be more fun and creative than it is now. Moreover, teachers should try to simplify literature in order to make students relate to it more, and therefore, understand it better and maybe even like it. Also, I think students would appreciate literature more if they learn to enjoy it. If you enjoy learning something you'll have better achievements in that subject than in a subject you dislike. 

To sum up, the way literature is taught in schools these days doesn't accomplish the main goal of helping students succeed in literature and learning to enjoy it at the same time. In my point of view, literature should be taught more creatively and in a way that gives  students the tools to deal with every literary piece they encounter in the best way. 

Very good! Nicely written!
97
Daphna       

A Summer's Reading - Reflection

Reflection – p.49

1. Did you enjoy reading the story? Why or why not? 
I enjoyed reading the story "A Summer's Reading" because I liked the way George's life and  George's personality are described in it. George has a certain goal but he doesn't have the mental and environmental tools to reach it.  Therefore, it is interesting to go through George's learning process, which begins with the lie he told Mr. Cattanzara. 

2. How did learning about the skills of Explaining Cause and Effect and Uncovering Motives influence your understanding of the story? Give examples. 
Learning about the skill of Explaining Cause and Effect helped me understand George's cause by lying to Mr. Cattanzara. He wanted Mr. Cattanzara to respect him and when Mr. Cattanzara asked him about what he is doing these days, he panicked and lied to him. 
The skill of Uncovering Motives helped me guess what could be Mr. Cattanzara's motives for trying to make George understand the importance of education as a key to succeed in life. 
His motive might be that he cares about George and wants him to succeed in his life.

3. How might awareness to characterization add to your enjoyment of future stories?
Awareness to characterization may add to my enjoyment of future stories because I'll know how the author builds characters in the story. First of all, he describes the character's appearance and then goes on to describing the personality and the characteristics. In future stories I will read, I will know to pay attention to every single detail about a character and then I'll know how to understand the character better. 

A Summer's Reading - Post Reading

Post Reading - p. 49

I chose task number 2: Write a letter from George to Mr. Cattanzara ten years after the   story ends.

 November 1st, 1930                                                                       

Dear Mr. Cattanzara,

I haven't seen you in the past five years but I wanted you to know how grateful I am. I am proud to say that my lying to you was the best thing that ever happened to me, since I wouldn't have the guts to get up and start living my life, as I always wanted, if it weren't for your support and belief in me. Now I know that what I needed to do was to leave my laziness behind and start reading in order to pick up my education.

In the first year I had to constantly remind myself why I was doing it and I had your support and Sophie's that kept me going. I would never forget how excited I was when I finished reading my first book, "The Magic of Oz". I ran straight to your apartment and we talked about it during the whole night. That's when I first felt like I could do this. And I will owe you for that for the rest of my life.

Another day that I would never forget is the day I left the neighborhood for my new job as a factory worker. This wasn't the best job ever, but it was more than I had ever had in my life. I lived with four roommates in a little apartment in the middle of New York City. Even though it was hard, it was a lifetime experience. From that point, I continued to work until a better offer came along, and after it a better offer. 

Now, I am happy to say that I have achieved my goal. I'm living with my wife, Christina
 (if you want to know how we met, it is a story for a different time…), at a cottage in the middle of New York City. We are expecting a boy that will keep us busy for a while. I work as a lawyer's assistant and hope to become a lawyer myself in a couple of years. But right now, I cannot be happier. The only thing that is missing in my life is you and Sophie, and I would like us to be in touch and visit each other.

Please tell me how you're doing in your next letter and send my love to Sophie and to your family as well. 

Love, 

George Stoyonovich (or Georgie for you…)

Very good letter.

(94)

Daphna

A Summer's Reading - Bridging Text and Context - FIXED

Bridging Text and Context - P. 49 

The information given in addition to the story helped me understand it better by notifying me about the author of the story. It says that Bernard Malamud used to write about how ordinary people, often immigrants, tried to fulfill the American middle class dream in their poor life circumstances. Moreover, almost all of his characters were isolated and had to face their problems by themselves with almost no moral support from their environment.  

The story "A Summer's Reading" is one of the author's collections of short stories, which include characters who search for hope in their miserable lives. In our story, nineteen-year-old George Stoyonvich is a son of an immigrant family, who lives in New York in the twenties, during the heavy depression in the United States. George dropped out of school at the age of sixteen and has a hard time getting a job due to the depression and his lack of education. He dreams of having a permanent job, living in a nice house, having a loving wife and family and be respected by others. However, George knows that he will never achieve his goals unless he picks up his education, but tends to find excuses for not doing so.
 

All of a sudden, George meets Mr. Cattanzara, "the change maker" whom he respects and appreciates. George, who wanted to win Mr. Cattanzara's respect as well, lies to him by telling him that he plans on reading a hundred books during the summer. This lie grows along the story and leads George to feel ashamed about himself more than ever, but not enough to make him change his situation. We can learn that George is one of Malamud's typical characters. He has a hard time facing his problems by himself in order to achieve his goals in life. George knows that proper education is the most important thing that can help him move forward in his life, although he doesn't have the motivation to pick up his education.

In conclusion, George had to overcome some major obstacles in his life, like his environment, his lack of moral support and his personality in order to start acting to pick up his education and, eventually, achieve his goals. We can learn that getting a good education is necessary if you want to succeed in your life, especially if you are an immigrant, who wants to live the American dream which you left your country for - like lots of Malamud's characters, including George.  

This is better, although it is still too long.  However, well done.

(92)

Daphna