Class 6 English Notes Chapter 5 (A Different Kind of School; Where Do All the Teachers Go?) – HoneySuckle Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 5 from your HoneySuckle textbook. This chapter presents two distinct pieces: a thought-provoking story, 'A Different Kind of School', and a curious poem, 'Where Do All the Teachers Go?'. Both offer unique perspectives on school life and are important for your exam preparation. Let's break them down.

Chapter 5: Detailed Notes for Exam Preparation

Part 1: Prose - 'A Different Kind of School' by E.V. Lucas

• Author: E.V. Lucas (Edward Verrall Lucas) - Remember the author's name.
• Setting: The story is set in Miss Beam's school, a unique educational institution.
• Theme: The central theme is empathy, thoughtfulness, and understanding misfortune. It highlights the importance of experiential learning to develop responsible and considerate citizens. It contrasts academic learning with learning essential life values.
• Characters:
  • The Narrator (E.V. Lucas): The visitor who observes and learns about the school's methods. He is initially curious and perhaps slightly skeptical but leaves deeply impressed.
  • Miss Beam: The headmistress; kind, understanding, and innovative. She is proud of her school's unique teaching method focused on thoughtfulness.
  • Students: They actively participate in the system. Specific names aren't crucial, but their roles during 'lame day', 'blind day', etc., are central to the plot. The girl guiding the narrator during her 'blind day' is a key interaction.
• Plot Summary:
  1. The narrator visits Miss Beam's school, having heard positive things about it.
  2. He observes children playing but notices some have bandages over their eyes, others use crutches, appearing handicapped.
  3. Miss Beam explains that the school's primary goal isn't just academic learning but teaching thoughtfulness, kindness, and citizenship.
  4. The 'handicaps' are part of the system: Each child experiences a 'blind day', 'lame day', 'deaf day', 'injured day', and 'dumb day' once per term. This is done to make them appreciate and understand misfortune.
  5. During these days, other children are assigned to help them, fostering cooperation and responsibility.
  6. Miss Beam clarifies that the 'blind day' is often the most difficult as it makes the child feel dependent and aware of things they might miss.
  7. The narrator is led around the garden by a girl whose eyes are bandaged for her 'blind day'.
  8. Through her descriptions and reliance on him, the narrator experiences the challenges and the heightened awareness required when one sense is unavailable.
  9. He realizes the profound impact of this teaching method, concluding that the school is truly doing important work in shaping character.
• Key Concepts & Vocabulary:
  • Misfortune: Bad luck or an unfortunate event/condition. The school aims to help students understand this.
  • Appreciate: To recognise the full worth of; to be grateful for something. Students learn to appreciate their senses and abilities.
  • Thoughtfulness: Showing consideration for others' needs and feelings.
  • Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
  • Experiential Learning: Learning through experience or 'doing'.
  • Bandage, Crutches: Aids used by students simulating disabilities.
  • Responsible Citizens: The ultimate goal of Miss Beam's education system.
• Message: True education involves developing character, empathy, and understanding alongside academic knowledge. Experiencing challenges, even simulated ones, fosters appreciation and compassion.

Part 2: Poem - 'Where Do All the Teachers Go?' by Peter Dixon

• Poet: Peter Dixon - Note the poet's name.
• Theme: A child's innocent curiosity about the private lives of teachers. It explores the perception of teachers as figures confined to the school environment versus them being ordinary people.
• Summary:
  • The poem is written from the perspective of a young child.
  • The child wonders what teachers do after the school day ends at 4 o'clock.
  • Questions arise: Do they live in regular houses? Do they do mundane chores like washing socks? Do they wear informal clothes like pyjamas? Do they relax like other people (watching TV)?
  • The child ponders if teachers have families (Mums and Dads) or if they were ever children themselves.
  • The curiosity extends to whether teachers were ever mischievous ('bad'), made spelling mistakes, or faced punishment in school.
  • The poem concludes with the child's resolve to follow a teacher home one day to uncover these mysteries and possibly write a poem about their findings.
• Tone: Innocent, curious, slightly humorous, inquisitive.
• Literary Devices (Simple):
  • Rhyme Scheme: Generally AABB (e.g., o'clock/socks, wear/pyjamas - though not perfectly consistent, it gives a song-like quality).
  • Repetitive Questioning: The structure relies heavily on questions starting with "Where", "Do", "Did".
• Message: The poem captures the universal childhood tendency to view authority figures (like teachers) as different from ordinary people. It highlights the gap in understanding between a child's world and the adult world, specifically concerning the lives of teachers outside the classroom.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) for Exam Practice:

1. What was the main aim of Miss Beam's school in 'A Different Kind of School'?
   a) To achieve top academic results.
   b) To teach sports and physical fitness.
   c) To teach thoughtfulness, kindness, and responsible citizenship.
   d) To specialize in teaching arts and crafts.

2. In 'A Different Kind of School', why did children have days where they acted blind, lame, or deaf?
   a) It was a form of punishment.
   b) To make them appreciate and understand misfortune.
   c) To prepare them for acting careers.
   d) It was part of their physical education training.

3. According to Miss Beam, which 'day' was often the most difficult for the children?
   a) The lame day
   b) The deaf day
   c) The dumb day
   d) The blind day

4. Who is the author of the story 'A Different Kind of School'?
   a) Peter Dixon
   b) E.V. Lucas
   c) Ruskin Bond
   d) Rabindranath Tagore

5. What does the term 'misfortune' mean in the context of the story?
   a) Great wealth
   b) Bad luck or hardship
   c) Academic failure
   d) Physical strength

6. In the poem 'Where Do All the Teachers Go?', what time does the child associate with teachers leaving school?
   a) 3 o'clock
   b) 4 o'clock
   c) 5 o'clock
   d) Lunchtime

7. What is the main feeling expressed by the child in the poem 'Where Do All the Teachers Go?'?
   a) Fear of teachers
   b) Dislike for school
   c) Curiosity about teachers' private lives
   d) Sadness when teachers leave

8. Which of these is NOT something the child wonders about teachers in the poem?
   a) If they live in houses.
   b) If they wear pyjamas.
   c) If they were ever children themselves.
   d) If they enjoy teaching students.

9. Who is the poet of 'Where Do All the Teachers Go?'?
   a) E.V. Lucas
   b) Eleanor Farjeon
   c) Peter Dixon
   d) Kit Wright

10. What does the narrator learn by the end of his visit to Miss Beam's school?
    a) That the school needs better facilities.
    b) That the students are not learning enough academically.
    c) That the school's method of teaching empathy and thoughtfulness is truly valuable.
    d) That Miss Beam is too strict with the children.

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. c
2. b
3. d
4. b
5. b
6. b
7. c
8. d
9. c
10. c

Study these notes carefully. Understanding the themes, characters, and key details of both the story and the poem is crucial. Good luck with your preparation!