Our Day Out: Improving Standards in English through Drama at Key Stage 3 and GCSE (Critical Scripts)

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The children of the Progress class need a teacher who will support them because there will be people like the zookeeper in scene 29, putting them down. Here Mr Briggs is considerate of the children at the appropriate time. He is good at taking control during bad situations. She is disappointed at Mr Briggs for not understanding what she has told him. It has had no effect on his opinions so she stands up to him because she strongly believes the children deserve fun. Briggs’s eyes are opened by Carol expressing her opinions. He realises the kids see him differently to the way he sees himself. He may teach the examination classes, but he is not necessarily the best teacher. The problem is he thinks he is always right. Therefore he has to keep the children below his level to maintain his power.

Here Russell wants the audience to like Briggs, because he is portrayed as thoughtful and he wants to help the kids out and get involved in their education. Russell wants us to think he is changing as previously he underestimated their abilities and stereotyped them. When he drives past he does exactly what she says- ‘ignores her’. Russell puts this in to make us feel empathy for Carol. He is also emphasising that she is realistic and clever enough to know that he isn’t going to stop. He never will. Showing this scene and ending on it reminds us of the plays beginning. Nothing has changed. Briggs is the same character; the play is just a cycle. Russell uses this because he wants the audience to think that Briggs is changing. Usually he would be too concerned about his reputation as a teacher to go to the fair.

 Our Day Out Coursework                                          Victoria  Olubi

Whilst he is educating the children, Mrs Kay sits on a bench overlooking the estuary. This shows the differences in their attitudes and teaching methods.

The book is very exciting and Interesting. I really enjoyed the story and the way of the writing. It is a fun way to spend you'r weekend by reading it. It is a very great book by a great author. It is so good that I would definitely love to read it again! I love this book so much. I love how it has a deep meaning. it's so brilliant! it's so funny and easily readable. I recommend to all.

Ooer! Don’t be stupid, you. You wont get a husband like sir. You’ll end up marryin’ someone like your old feller.’ (Scene 7) Mrs Kay has been the only person to give the children a chance. She shows trust in them, which is what they need most. Well… if the antics in her department are anything to go by… She always reminds me of a mother hen rather than a teacher…’ Here Briggs is rude, he doesn’t use manners and he uses the word girl, which suggests he doesn’t like building personal relationships with the students. However it’s not just with the students he is like this with. He is very professional with the teachers also. In 2000, Russell published his first novel, The Wrong Boy. In epistolary form, main character Raymond Marks, a 19-year old from Manchester, tells the story of his life in letters to his hero Morrissey.