Ramble and questions.

[sister_luck]

Tomorrow is the big day for all the students in my state who picked English as a subject for their written Abitur exams. I've only got two candidates this year, but still I'm slightly apprehensive. I'm really curious what texts have been picked for them.
One office in our school is strictly off-limits, because this is where the papers are downloaded and then photocopied. Apparently, the German exams on Monday weren't too hard. Well, I'll find out tomorrow and I just hope that my students won't suffer from any blackouts and show their best work. One of them has me really worried, because he usually only completes about half the paper. Then in May I've got three candidates for the oral exams and that's the really scary part, because a) these are my first exams as an examiner and b) those three aren't very talkative.

My car is still at the workshop and no decision has been made on whether to repair it or to buy a new one. It will depend on the sorts of deals they're prepared to offer me. Because the whole accident hasn't been my fault I'm entitled to a lawyer, and today I got myself one, so he can deal with all the paperwork.

Today I found an interesting interview with David Simon, the creator of The Wire. Nick Hornby is asking the questions and David Simon provides interesting answers. There are no spoilers except for the mentioning of the general themes of the different seasons. There is lots of insight into the concept of the series, there are some anecdotes and there's quite a bit of food for thought about the nature of episodic television, the United States in general and the history of Baltimore in particular.

Also, I can't quite decide which pictures of Germany's sunniest city to show you first, so I thought I'll let you decide. What do you want to see? The cathedral? Some street art? Architecture? The city from the top of a hill with the mountains in the background?

Comments

[gillo]

What do they have to do with the texts? Translation? Commentary? Good luck to them - and you, anyway.

What do you want to see? The cathedral? Some street art? Architecture? The city from the top of a hill with the mountains in the background?

Yes. *g* Especially the last one, though.

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

There's no translation part in my state. Instead, the students write a three-part-essay about the text with the first question usually dealing with text comprehension and/or summarizing the text. The second question is the analysis part of the essay which often focuses on stylistic devices or narrative modes etc. in combination with a more topical question, so it might be something along the lines of "How does the author show his support for XYZ" or "how does she depict the relationship between A and B" etc. The third question usually involves a choice between a proper commentary or a more 'creative' task like writing a letter to the editor, a diary entry for one of the characters etc.
The students have a choice between non-fiction and fiction. Non-fiction is usually a newspaper article or political speech. Fiction could be anything - an excerpt from a novel or a drama or poem.

[gillo]

It sounds quite challenging. How did it go for them?

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

I think they were okay with the selection of texts. I haven't had a proper look at what they've written, but as always that one guy didn't address the last question...

They got an excerpt from the screenplay of The Queen (which noone chose, because we didn't really focus on the monarchy part of British traditions) and an excerpt from Barack Obama's announcement that he's running for president. I'd given nearly the same excerpt to another group as a regular exam, and I'd told them several weeks ago of my suspicions that this speech would turn up in the exams.

I might do a post about the questions and texts in the next couple of days.

[gillo]

Interesting options. I'd certainly be intrigued to know more.

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Today I found an interesting interview with David Simon, the creator of The Wire.

Link please?

Oh, let's just do the Cathedral.

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Yep, after I'd posted I realized I didn't include the link, but it was already late and I had other stuff to do. Here it is (http://www.believermag.com/issues/200708/?read=interview_simon). David Simon sometimes comes across as a bit wordy and pompous, but as the creator of The Wire he's allowed to IMO.

[comava.livejournal.com]

I enjoy all photos but especially the street art.

Are the Abitur exams already in April? Our Matura is in late May/early June, I believe.

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

I'll start with the cathedral and the street art is next, okay?

The written exams always begin quite early so that the school leavers have lots of time to party... No, honestly, it's usually at some point in April, after Easter.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

It's so soon!

The exam, I mean, not you posying pictures! ;-)

I want to see The city from the top of a hill with the mountains in the background

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Yep, I can't quite believe that it's already started. The students doing written exams in English, German and History will be finished on Friday - others have their exams more sensibly spaced and sit their last written exam in two weeks. In May it's time for the oral exams and I'm terrified.

The city....: You'll be able to see bits of France then, but you have to wait a little while, because the others were first!