History and Film

Before I was a teacher, and certainly before I had this blog, I did some work as a film reviewer for a now-defunct online blogging network. It mostly involved getting sent screeners for small-release films that no one cared about but in-between these obligations I still managed to watch and review over a thousand films of my own choice. 

My cinematic self-education is by no means complete, I still have quite a list of 'canon' films that I'm working my way through, but I do have a fairly confident awareness of what the history of cinema looks like. Here are some posts I've previously made about how the history of cinema can be utilised as a resource for the classroom:

• The Close-Up
• The 180 Degree Rule
• Early Editing
  

Today, however, I want to move away from looking at the history of cinema and look instead at how the medium of film is used to represent history itself. The previous blog posts are intended for use in an English or Film Studies classroom, whereas the following will be more relevant for the subject of History.

It's fair to say that the average History teacher has little curriculum-based used for a discussion on the history of cinema (a subject that focuses as much on storytelling techniques as it does on context) so this blog post will inevitably be focused on content and perspective instead. Here we will look at a few examples of history-focused films that I've specifically liked as a History teacher, and I'll highlight how they fit with our current secondary school History syllabuses in NSW. There are, of course, some things to be aware of:

• Some of these films are appropriate for students to watch.
• Some of these films are not appropriate for students to watch.
• Some of these films may be useful in other KLAs because the content connects to a relevant area of study.

Where a film fits in regard to the above will be up to a teacher's professional and informed judgment. The films that are not appropriate for students to watch have been included for a couple of reasons:

1. They are useful in broadening or deepening the teacher's understanding of a topic, and this in itself can be a powerful tool as it helps us look in particular directions with our lesson planning or research.
2. It may be negotiated to watch one of these films with some senior cohorts through the use of principal, head teacher, and parental permission. This can depend on classification and community context.
   
3. The teacher might select appropriate scenes for use rather than showing the entire film.

So, with all that out of the way, here are ten great History-based films that I think are useful:

Haxan (directed by Benjamin Christensen, Denmark, 1922)

Haxan is an unusual history of witchcraft that defies our modern view of what a documentary should look like. A 100 minute documentary in 7 parts, Haxan provides a narrative overview of witchcraft through the ages - presenting pagan rituals (with dramatised appearances from the Devil!) alongside more rational sequences that suggest medieval torture and mental illness explain why innocent people would have confessed to being witches in the face of superstition. As such, Haxan exists as a fascinating piece of historiography that charts changing beliefs while blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. The film itself perhaps demonstrates the conflicted beliefs of the 1920s in the way that it confidently places the rational and irrational side by side. The body of critical literature analysing Haxan is perhaps just as valuable as the film itself. 

Would work well for: 

• History 7-10 - Stage 4 Medieval Europe (Teacher)
  
• Year 12 History Extension - Witch Hunts and Witch Trials (Teacher, Students)

Battleship Potemkin (directed by Sergei Eisenstein, Soviet Union, 1925)

This innovative film (the infamous Odessa steps montage remains highly influential for many great directors) is an invaluable historical resource in the sense that it was made under the Soviet regime in its pre-Stalin days. Focusing on the Potemkin mutiny that formed part of the fabric of the 1905 Russian Revolution under Tsar Nicholas Romanov II, Eisenstein's meticulous drama reconstructs historical events in a fairly truthful manner despite its function as 1920s Soviet propaganda. From a teacher's point of view, the film works as either a way of examining developing rebellion against the Romanovs or as an exercise in looking at the film's use as propaganda (the textual history of Battleship Potemkin is just as historically fascinating as the film itself - pre-, during, and post-Stalin versions all serve to demonstrate the changing political landscape of Russia over time).

Would work well for:

• Year 11 Modern History - The Decline and Fall of the Romanovs (Teacher, Students)
• Year 12 Modern History - Russia and the Soviet Union (Teacher, Students)
  

Burn! (directed by Gillo Pontecorvo, Italy, 1969)

At first glance Burn! (or Quemada) might seem a murky choice owing to its generalised nature. Whilst its focus is on a fictional Caribbean island in the 19th century, the themes and main beats of Burn! are still very much in keeping with a common pattern of imperialism, colonialism, slavery, and commercial exploitation. Made at the height of the decolonisation period, the film also stands out (alongside Pontecorvo's more famous film The Battle of Algiers) as one of the more authentic cinematic depictions of modern historical forces. From a curriculum standpoint, it helps to visually illuminate the motivations behind European colonialism and the significance of imperialism and its impact on the modern world.

Would work well for:

• Year 12 Modern History - The Shaping of the Modern World: The Age of Imperialism (Teacher)
  

Newsfront (directed by Phillip Noyce, Australia, 1978)

Newsfront is such a broad yet rich text for any History teacher. A classic of Australian cinema, it focuses on the era of 1948-1956, a period in which the advent of television was shaping the way in which news was collected and delivered. Noyce's script mixes archival footage with a wrap-around narrative to insert its newsreel cameramen characters into Australian history. If your knowledge of this period in our history is a little shaky, this film provides a relatively quick overview of the key events (the referendum to ban the Communist Party in Australia, Robert Menzies' big comeback as Prime Minister, postwar migration to Australia, and the arrival of television). For senior students, it provides a chance to examine the role of cinema in representing our history in a certain way.

Would work well for:

• History 7-10 - Stage 5 The Globalising World: Popular Culture (Teacher)
• History 7-10 - Stage 5 The Globalising World: Migration Experiences (Teacher)
• History 7-10 - Stage 5 School Developed Topic: The Cold War (Teacher) 
• Year 11 Modern History - The Representation and Commemoration of the Past (Teacher, Students)
• Year 11 Modern History - Case Study: Australia and the Rise of Communism (Teacher)
• Year 12 History Extension - An Australian Primer Minister: Robert Menzies (Teacher, Students)

Cry Freedom (directed by Richard Attenborough, United Kingdom, 1987)

A politically-charged depiction of Apartheid South Africa made while Apartheid was still happening. As a British film made in the 1980s, it's no surprise that Cry Freedom functions as a perfect example of the 'white saviour' narrative. It's a little disappointing that the focus shifts from Steve Biko around the halfway mark but, that said, it's a fairly accessible and engaging piece of cinema and the Biko half features a fantastic performance from a young Denzel Washington. If you're looking for something that your students will be able to easily follow (perhaps it might even make a few things clearer for them - some students benefit immensely from perceiving history through the lens of a cinematic narrative) then Cry Freedom will definitely do the job.

Would work well for:

• Year 12 Modern History - Change in the Modern World: Apartheid in South Africa. (Teacher, Students)
  

Kundun (directed by Martin Scorsese, USA, 1997)

Scorsese's biopic of the Dalai Lama is a high quality production that goes some way towards realistically depicting the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1950 and the ideological/religious tensions surrounding it. I've personally used this one with a Modern History class but I did cut it down to about half its length so that we could focus on the sections relevant to our topic. Kundun as a film in its own right is probably a little too slow for the average teenager, however, the scenes in which the Dalai Lama meets with Chairman Mao are an essential window into the relations between Communist China and bordering territories. Scorsese's film is generally quite historically accurate - albeit quite toned down in terms of the violence that came alongside the Invasion of Tibet (no doubt owing to Hollywood's sensitivity to potential commercial markets in Asia). 

Would work well for:

• Year 11 Modern History - Case Study: Tibet in the Modern World. (Teacher, Students)
• Year 12 Modern History - Change in the Modern World: The Cultural Revolution to Tiananmen Square. (Teacher, Students)
  

Five Broken Cameras (directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi, Palestine, 2011)

A story of non-violent resistance to the Israeli settlement of the last pockets of Palestinian territory, as recorded by Palestinian documentarian Emad Burnat on five cameras that got destroyed by Israelis one-by-one. In a topic that's so politically fraught and volatile, Burnat is able to provide an irrefutable record that helps to illuminate what's currently happening in Israel and the methods currently being used to eradicate Palestinians from their territory. In terms of the history syllabus, the parameters for the Arab-Israeli Conflict option might be 1948-1996 but the dot point that pertains to the rise and significance of the Israeli settler movement echoes through to the modern day. This documentary does an excellent job of bringing clarity to motivations, actions, and impacts of this movement that don't need to necessarily be tethered directly to any particular time period - the situation remains unresolved and this film still assists in coming to an understanding of the complexities involved.

Would work well for:

• Year 12 Modern History - Peace and Conflict: The Arab-Israeli Conflict. (Teacher)
  

The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence (directed by Joshua Oppenheimer, joint international production, 2012 and 2014)

The Act of Killing is an astounding and unusual documentary in which the director asks surviving Indonesian death squad members to re-enact the murders they committed in the 1960s. The Look of Silence is an electrifying and intense companion piece in which the surviving relative of one of the victims confronts his brother's killer. These documentaries unpack and go some way toward explaining why the tragedy of Indonesia's recent history is unlikely to ever find a true sense of closure. When the government allowed and encouraged such widespread civil murder yet also distanced itself officially, thus making it a 'people's issue', what can be done? When thousands killed millions, and the resultant regime remains in power 50 years later, what can be done? It essentially means the killers have no problem speaking openly about the violence they wreaked upon so many because the issue is too widely embedded in Indonesia's society and recent history. Anyway, I would not recommend showing these films to students - the frank discussion of the acts committed by these men is too disturbing. I would, however, recommend them to any teacher looking to teach Indonesia for the National Study in Modern History.

Would work well for:

• Year 12 Modern History - National Study: Indonesia (Teacher)

Bridge of Spies (directed by Steven Spielberg, USA, 2015)

There have been lots of films made about the Cold War but most of these were made during the Cold War itself. As such they often fall into the category of spy-fantasies that existed as a pressure valve for the anxieties of the time. In this film, Spielberg gives the Cold War the same grand treatment he gave WWI, WWII and 19th century America in some of his earlier 'serious' films. It struck me while watching Bridge of Spies just how perfectly tailor-made this film was as an entry-point for younger generations with no experience of this unique and protracted conflict. Spielberg crams in as many aspects of the 'war' as possible to create a highly visual narrative, finding success in illuminating a difficult slice of history that often resists direct engagement. 

Would work well for:

• History 7-10 - Stage 5 School-Developed Topic: The Cold War (Teacher, Students)
  
• Year 12 Modern History - Peace and Conflict: The Cold War (Teacher, Students)

 

The Woman King (directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, USA, 2022)

Contrary to the wave of Americentric online trolls who sought to challenge The Woman King's value, the historical accuracy of this film holds up just as much as most of the other entries on this list. It only takes minimal online searching to find some reliable discussions of how this films deals with an under-represented area of history and, as such, The Woman King will remain highly useful as an educational resource until further directors and writers begin to visit early modern African history from an African perspective. Some elements might push the boundaries of what can be shown in a classroom (it's rated M in Australia but screening it will always be a matter of context and school discretion) but, this said, I think some excerpts could still be used and teachers looking to broaden their personal understanding will find it useful too.

Would work well for:

• Year 11 Modern History - The Construction of Modern Histories (Teacher)
• Year 11 Modern History - Case Study: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade (Teacher)
• Year 11 Modern History - The Shaping of the Modern World: The Age of Imperialism (Teacher)
  

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

Ursula Le Guin's famous short story 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas' is a text with an endless lifespan in relation to the classroom. It's relatively short, which means that it's accessible to a range of readers. It has depth and a certain ideological ambiguity, which means that it's provocative in terms of forcing the reader to take a position on the ideas its raises. And it works as an exercise in analysing generic conventions and the impact of context. Simply put - it's beautiful and timeless.

It can be used with Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, and Year 11 students, and its the sort of text that will provoke some interesting and highly disparate responses from students. In order to cater for a range of responses and abilities, the text can be unpacked in a variety of ways:

1. Start by getting students to respond to some comprehension questions.
2. This can be followed by some critical analysis - students can begin identifying some techniques, thinking about authorial purpose in relation to writing craft, and the story's overall design.
3. Students can then look at evaluating some of the 'big ideas' that Le Guin explores. This also ties into her use of genre and the purpose behind her choice of subject matter.
4. Lastly, with some information about Le Guin's context provided, students can then look beyond the story and start making some connections between the text and Le Guin's world, and the text and their world. 

I've included some examples of the above in a PowerPoint that can be used (after reading through the story): 

Omelas Analysis.

WARNING: There is a paragraph in the first page or so that focuses on some very 1960s concepts in terms of 'free love' and sexual liberation. I think, perhaps dependent on the year group, the story works better without this element as it can shift the focus a little too much. I would simply chop this bit out altogether, it's quite easily edited out with minimal impact on the larger narrative. I have no problem with bowdlerisation if it allows for a smoother lesson without distractions!

So Long to 2022, Hello to 2023!

I kept starting blog posts with resources or teaching ideas these last few weeks and would then stop myself from posting them because it's December. I just feel like everyone is done with the teaching year. I'm right, aren't I? This year was the first uninterrupted year of school since 2019 but there was this constant sense of 'could things become unsteady again?' and the COVID-related absences (both staff and students) riddled the year with a certain sense of discontinuity. It feels really obvious to say this but everyone across the entire planet is feeling really tired.  

So I thought I'd do something different and write a little more personally for my last blog of the year. 

Here are some things that I was thankful for this year:

• My beautiful baby, who is now wobbling around the house on two legs like some stop-motion wonder from an old Ray Harryhausen movie. It's a cliche but my whole worldview has genuinely changed with the arrival of this additional person in my house. It's been amazing to watch such grow, to see everything anew through new eyes, and to share this journey with my beautiful wife.
  
• A new school to call home. This is the fourth school I've worked at now and it's been great professional learning to see just how differently every school operates within the same overall system. I feel a great sense of calm in knowing that I will be continuing at this school into next year and beyond. 
• Becoming a Learning and Support Teacher. I've alternated between English and History for my decade-plus career, never quite committing to just one (I'd like to say that I can't pick between the two but the honest truth is that I just go with the flow - if I'm asked to teach English, I will, if it's History, I'm happy to do that too). In Term 4 this year I got to step into the entirely different role of Learning and Support Teacher, and I've loved it so much. I've been feeling a greater sense of self-worth and I enjoy working to help students and their families - plus it allows me to look at big sets of data (a secret and highly nerdy passion that I've never had enough opportunity to dive into in the past).
• New (and old) friends who have been supportive and funny and helpful and a reminder of what matters in the workplace and beyond. 
  

As you might have guessed from the above, things have been busy in my house this year. I haven't had as much of a chance to write aside from a couple of teaching articles and some poems (two were published under a dastardly pseudonym). I read about half the amount of books that I'm usually able to (being a parent reintroduced to me to the concept of existing in a constant state of tiredness) but there were still some really great things that I got to read, here were my ten favourites, in no order:

• Plunder of the Ancients by Lucinda Delaney Schroeder. A true crime account of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agent going undercover in the Native American illegal artefact trade.
• Kindred by Kirli Saunders. I read this because I wanted to teach it to Year 11 and I found the poetry to be quite soothing and welcoming - Saunders has a way with words when it comes to providing a window into the very soul of the earth.  
  
• The Overstory by Richard Powers. This was a big wow; a brilliantly interwoven and finely crafted piece of climate fiction about trees. Much more interesting than you could imagine.
• The Hare with the Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal. My second time reading but my first time truly appreciating.
• Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. A seedy knife's edge cooking memoir, and the perfect spiritual companion to this year's best new TV series (The Bear).   
• A Confederate General at Big Sur by Richard Brautigan. My third Brautigan novel - and I've loved all three so much that I'll be working my way through his entire body of work in the near future.
• Pax by Sara Pennypacker. A heartbreaking and beautiful coming-of-age novel about a fox and his boy. Thanks to my friend Ellen for this one!
• Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong. Last year, Vuong had a poem included in the HSC and he found himself (unexpectedly) bombarded online by students who hadn't coped with said poem. Unlike most authors who have previously faced this horrifying prospect, Vuong merely expressed bemusement and set about savagely and hilariously mocking some of the messages he received. His poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds further exemplifies his mental acuity with a raw juxtaposition of the tough and the intimate in a range of pieces filled with unforgettably visceral imagery and remarkable wordplay.
  
• After Story by Larissa Behrendt. This one was recommended by my friend Lis. I just finished it this morning and I love how effortlessly it blends together so many different elements (trauma, family, travel, literature, Aboriginal culture) through dual perspectives. 
• The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow. Technically you could call this picaresque novel a 'coming-of-age' but, really, I haven't read anything like it before. Bellow's voice is uniquely colloquial yet sophisticated, presenting a range of misadventures and characters both hilarious and poignant.
  

And that's it from me in 2022. If you're reading this, I hope you take some time over the holiday break to rest and be with the people you love most. Here's to a gentle 2023. 

Punk Punk - A Gallery of Subgenres

The -punk suffix genres can be a great discussion starter; there are various permutations and sub-categories that force or push stories in certain directions, and that writers experiment by combining elements to create new science fiction subgenres by leaning into particular aesthetics and ideas. 

Without taking retroactive classifications into account, the cyberpunk genre is unarguably where it all all started. Cyberpunk combines a dystopian near-future setting with a heavy emphasis on emerging technologies; in the 1980s this meant things like the internet, virtual reality, and practical body modification. Cyberpunk became a prominent subgenre after William Gibson helped to define it in his groundbreaking 1984 novel Neuromancer.

Just for fun, here are a range of other subgenres that have developed in the years since, each of which use the -punk suffix as a marker to let audiences know they are engaging with a fictional world. The various subgenres explore potential futures through highly specialised aesthetics - some of them are superficial in outlook, emphasising style over narrative, whereas others hone in on particular themes and concerns.

Steampunk: The most popular of the -punk subgenres (after the 80s/90s computer tech of cyberpunk) is the Victorian-era aesthetic of steampunk, which is perhaps as much about cosplay and fandom as it is about colonial-flavoured alternative realities. Think Jules Verne, The Golden Compass, some Studio Ghibli films.

Dieselpunk: Most of the -punk subgenres are heavily fixated on a particular aesthetic and its through this that the genre is defined. In this sense, dieselpunk presents alternative realities built from combustible engines and 1930s tech. See: Indiana Jones, The Rocketeer, the comic series Hellboy, the first Captain America film.

Clockpunk: Clockpunk is a subgenre that draws on Renaissance designs and iconography to present an alternative sci-fi realm that images a post-medieval world of light and strength. Think Da Vinci, conquistadors, 15th century Europe.

Rococopunk: This seems to be more stylistic than an actual genre of storytelling. It relates to a combination of cyberpunk and rococo/baroque fashion. One of the best things about the -punk suffix is that the suffix itself has the power to inspire bold new combinations of history and storytelling, with fandoms branching out to create their own costumes from the most flowery recesses of their imagination. When I hear 'Rococopunk' I mostly think of music videos like The Killers 'Mr Brightside' or Adam and the Ants.

Atompunk: When 1950s atomic-age aesthetics are used to present an alternative future with a decidedly retro look. Sometimes called 'Raygun Gothic', used to describe everything from The Jetsons to the original series of Star Trek or the film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.

Biopunk: Biopunk is a sci-fi subgenre that focuses on biotechnology and synthesised biology. Think David Cronenberg's films eXistenZ or Crimes of the Future, the animal-splicing of Island of Dr Moreau, H.R. Giger's monster designs. A genre that explores the blurring of lines between technology and nature, and the disturbing consequences that might ensue.

Solarpunk: An aesthetic built on a hypothetical utopian future scenario in which climate, environmental, and sustainability issues have been solved. It functions as both a subgenre of sci-fi and art, and can also be observed in the more speculative flourishes of architecture and town planning.

Formicapunk: This is a recent branch that demonstrates the way that the -punk genre tree will always continue to grow and revisit territory in new ways. Formicapunk leans heavily on retro-futurism and the stylistic flourishes of the 80s. Also known as casettepunk. You already know this look and love it.

Lunarpunk: A less-developed idea but one in which scenarios have been put forth where sustainable technology is combined with Wicca, supernatural, and pagan-esque iconography. 

Decopunk: Calling upon the aesthetics of the Art Deco movement, this subgenre combines 1920s architecture with sci-fu futurism... hello Metropolis! Aside from the superficial elements that contribute to a particular look, this subgenre also alludes to fascism and Italian futurism.

Feudalpunk: A personal favourite. Feudalpunk combines sci-fi tropes with medieval settings and scenarios in order to explore the intersection of society, control of knowledge, and the devastation of technologies beyond our understanding. It's not a popular subgenre but it certainly exists, see: A Canticle for Leibowitz, Gene Wolfe's novels, the original plans for Alien 3, Riddley Walker, and Dune.

Steelpunk: The uglier, updated, more industrial son of dieselpunk. Rivets, hardware, and pollution abound in this grimy post-apocalyptic permutation. Common in '90s and '00s visions of the future - see films like The Terminator, Mad Max, Robocop, The Edge of Tomorrow.

Silkpunk: A steampunk alternative that draws on Asian antiquity rather than the Victorian era. First identified by Chinese-American writer Ken Liu, this subgenre has been a point of contention in relation to accusations of cultural appropriation - with some Asian writers asserting that its co-opting by Western authors serves as a creative intellectual cousin to colonialism or exploitation. 

Elfpunk: Elfpunk transports fae and elven characters into a gritty urban setting - exploring a juxtaposition of the faerie realm with motorcycles, rock bands, and nightclubs.

Sandalpunk: This one combines technology and speculative worlds with alternative versions of ancient European and Middle Eastern civilisations. Examples include Stargate, various depictions of Atlantis, and 300.

Stonepunk: Stonepunk does the same thing as other -punk subgenres but with dinosaurs and/or a prehistoric setting. The Flintstones didn't set out to slot into this genre (it hadn't been invented yet) but it retroactively fits the bill! Perhaps more of a fantasy derivative than sci-fi.

Cattlepunk: This is the territory where sci-fi meets the Western - cyborg cowboys, robot horses, and super-powered railways abound. This genre perhaps exist mostly as an excuse to keep the tropes of the Western genre alive into the 21st century. Examples include Cowboys and Aliens, the comic East of West, the Will Smith movie Wild Wild West, Westworld, and the TV series Firefly.

And, as far as I know, that's pretty much it for the moment. There are others that don't feel as developed or don't seem differentiated enough from other genres (nanopunk, hopepunk, capepunk, oceanpunk, nowpunk, mythpunk) so I've left these out. Perhaps one day we'll see an Indigenous Australian approach that things like Cleverman could retroactively fit into (ochre-punk?) If you know any other -punk genres that I haven't mentioned, please let me know!

Disclaimer: This is an expanded version of a Twitter thread I wrote five months ago. Most of the images were sourced through Pinterest, where such things are shared and shared again in an endless recursive loop. If you are the artist of any of these pictures and would like credit or for the image to be removed, just let me know and I'll do that.

Happy Halloween: Tag Someone

Looking for something Halloweeny and fun as we nudge our way through the final term of the year? Today's post features a Stage 4 or 5-aimed story (depending on ability) that would work as part of a wider Horror-themed unit that aims to teach generic conventions, or even just as a stand-alone lesson focused on creative writing.  

Before looking at the story, students will need to be primed on short story structure. If they're not familiar, this could involve brainstorming or copying some notes that covers the following:

Structuring a Short Story

There are three main parts to every short story: a beginning, a middle, and an ending. These parts are referred to by these terms:

1. Orientation = the beginning. This should contain enough information for the reader to know what is going on, who the characters are, what the setting is, etc.
2. Complication = the middle. This presents a problem to be solved, increases tension, and requires a response.
3. Resolution = the ending. This is where the complication gets resolved.

Sometimes a story can move these three parts around; some stories begin with the complication and then have a flashback to an orientation. The resolution can also take one of the four main following forms:

• Cliffhanger: a story that ends by resolving one complication with the addition of a new one, or leaves a key question unanswered.
• Twist: something unexpected and surprising happens; usually foreshadowed.
• Reflection: the protagonist (or another character) thinks back on the events of the story and considers what they have learned.
• Circular: the story ends where it began.
  

Reading a Short Story

The story is only three pages long so it's easy enough to cover in one lesson with time for some follow-up. Read through 'Tag Someone' with the students (you would probably want to do this soon, I suspect the technology referenced in the story will become out of date before we know it) and then have some time discussing it a little. 

Story is here: Tag Someone.

Analysing a Short Story

Students then analyse the components with some connection to thinking about the horror genre in particular. The worksheet below covers the purpose of an orientation, how the complication functions as a reflection of the horror genre and the way it explores the fears of our times, and the type of resolution that has been used by the author. 

Worksheet here: Tag Questions.

If you have more time afterwards, students could be asked to start thinking of their own short horror story, the fear they'd like to explore, and how they would structure it.

Happy Halloween :) 

Disclaimer: The above activity was written specifically for this blog. 

Patterns of Study in HSC English - Reflections and Ideas

If there's one part of the English syllabus that attracts my attention more than others, it's the Prescriptions List. I'm endlessly fascinated by the way in which this list interacts with the Literary Canon, intensely curious about how these texts are selected by NESA, and highly interested in what combinations of texts teachers select for their classes. It's the what and the why that I want to know. 

When I invariably ask someone what text they've chosen, and why was it chosen, I never get quite the same response. I think this is great and I'd love to see a big enough sample size to identify specific trends. Of course, this is complicated somewhat by the changeover between Prescribed Text lists, which occurs every 5 years or so.

The last Prescribed Text list released by NESA applied to 2015-2020. This essentially meant that a HSC Pattern of Study could be run for 5 consecutive times before a new text list would get released. The syllabus document from this time (released in 2014) indicated that the Area of Study module (which has now been replaced by the Common Module) would be reviewed in 2018 for updating in 2019. I'm not sure what the reasoning for this was if the rest of the syllabus was scheduled to run until 2020... seems a little needlessly complicated, would love to hear an explanation if anyone knows!

Anyway, I'm not sure what happened, but the Prescriptions List was reviewed prematurely in 2017 and the changeover of the entire syllabus was brought forward to 2019. This is our current syllabus, which was initially scheduled to run from 2019-2023. The unforeseen circumstances of the Covid pandemic, however, means that it's likely to be extended to 2024. I say 'likely' as, even though there's been some communication that this is what's happening, our experience of the 2015-2020 syllabus indicates that we can't plan that far ahead.

We can reflect, however, on what we've taught and what's worked. And perhaps also what hasn't worked, and what we'd do if we had another run at it.

The current Advanced English syllabus for Year 12 specifies that we teach:

• FOUR texts from the main prescriptions list.
• ONE of which must be PROSE fiction (in other words, a novel).
• ONE of which must be SHAKESPEARE.
• And ONE of which must be either POETRY or DRAMA (this would be in addition to Shakespearean drama).
• The FOURTH text can be an additional text from any of the above options OR one of the non-fiction or film/media options.
• TWO texts from the Craft of Writing prescriptions list.
• This can be any two texts from the list, and you're free to teach more than two if you like, though be aware that this particular part of the syllabus remains contentious among teachers due to inconsistent assessment at the HSC Examination level.
• This year's exam (2022), for example, did not require students to call upon any knowledge of their prescribed Craft of Writing texts.
• It's also been embedded in the syllabus that students learn about Imaginative, Persuasive, or Discursive writing forms - but the prescribed list does not delineate which texts are which. The Imaginative texts are the fictional ones, obviously, but the non-fictional texts often combine Persuasive and Discursive elements. It's probably fair to say, though, that there aren't really any strictly Persuasive-only texts included in the list. I mean, let's be honest here, these terms are inventions of the syllabus and are being retroactively applied to texts that didn't set out to be 'Discursive' or 'Persuasive', so the whole thing is problematic unless we're told how we should categorise each text according to the module descriptor. It feels like there's some awareness that Craft of Writing has become unstable due to contradictory interpretations by teachers, and this is perhaps best evidenced by the fact that the 2022 HSC exam question ignored the 'Persuasive' option and instead specified that students write only in the Imaginative or Discursive genre. 
• Let's not even mention the inclusion of poetry in Craft of Writing and how this fits in.
  

The current Standard English syllabus for Year 12 specifies:

• THREE texts from the main prescriptions list.
• ONE of which must be PROSE fiction (a novel).
• ONE of which must be POETRY or DRAMA.
• ONE of which must be FILM/MEDIA or NON-FICTION.
• TWO texts from the Craft of Writing prescriptions list.
• The same rules (and issues) apply as seen in Advanced English.
  

The above specifications allow teachers to design their 'Pattern of Study' for Year 12 in accordance with what will be assessed in the HSC Examination. There are some additional mandated elements in both the Advanced and Standard syllabuses too:

• The range of text types must be 'inclusive' of prose fiction, drama, poetry, nonfiction, film, media, and digital texts. This seems to reinforce the specific choice of texts from the Prescribed List though, in the case of Advanced English in particular, you can choose a pattern of study that does NOT include Film/Media or Non-Fiction, so it seems like this additional caveat is asking for some supplementary material to be included at some point that allows for these text types to be included.
• The texts studied must also include Australian authors, specifically Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander authors. Given that there are no Torres Strait Islander authors represented in any of the Prescribed Texts, this could potentially be seen as confirmation that these authors might be represented in the form of supplementary texts rather than Prescribed ones. I'm not sure how many Advanced English teachers would spend any significant time looking at supplementary texts though.
• The texts studied should also be representative of a range of cultural, social, and gender perspectives. I would interpret this as meaning that, among other things, there should be a mix of male and female authors represented in your pattern of study. As indicated by the dot point above, this is wholly interpretative and I doubt that all teachers approach this in the same way. Incidentally, there is only one non-binary author represented in the entirety of the NSW Prescriptions List (Kae Tempest, who has a performance included as one of the Advanced English Craft of Writing options).

Reflecting on Patterns of Study

I've had the opportunity to teach the Advanced English HSC year three times within this current syllabus. My pattern of choice for two of these times was:

1. The Common Module: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (Prose).
2. Module A: The Tempest by William Shakespeare and Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood (Shakespeare).
   
3. Module B: Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas (this covers the Poetry/Drama requirement rather neatly as it's sort of both. It's also technically a Media text as it originated as a radio play [the only text of its sort in the Prescriptions List] and can be played to students in this form). 
4. Module C: I tend to focus on 'Love and Honour and Pity and Pride and Compassion and Sacrifice' by Nam Le (an imaginative text) and 'Eight Days in a Corset' by Siri Hustvedt (one of the purest examples of discursive writing in the list). I also introduce some others if there's time so students have an opportunity to look at a variety of texts and independently study one that works better for them - these are 'How to Marry Your Daughters' by Helen Garner, 'That Crafty Feeling' by Zadie Smith, and 'Eulogy for Gough Whitlam' by Noel Pearson.
   

For Standard English, which I've taught less, my pattern of choice at the moment is:

1. The Common Module: Billy Elliot directed by Stephen Daldry (Film/Media/Non-Fiction requirement).
2. Module A: Inside My Mother by Ali Cobby Eckermann (Poetry / Drama requirement).
3. Module B: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (Prose requirement).
   
4. Module C: 'The Pedestrian' by Ray Bradbury and the 'Funeral Service of the Unknown Soldier' by Paul Keating.
   

Other Patterns

I'm not completely attached to any particular pattern of study as I actually like most of the Prescribed Texts. So, from a personal perspective, I can see the merit in most combinations of texts. That said, I would tend to design a pattern of study based on whatever my school and/or classroom context requires. If I was someone else who did NOT enjoy the vast majority of texts in the Prescriptions list, I would also factor in my enjoyment and/or appreciation of certain texts.

(DISCLAIMER: I'll also mention here that there are a lot of really cool patterns of study that just aren't possible due to the frustration of both a mandated Shakespeare and poetry/drama requirement. If Shakespeare could at least count as Drama then this would solve a lot of problems. More on this in a bit.)

Here are some examples of patterns of study and potential contextual reasons (I'll leave out the Craft of Writing as it doesn't impact on the rest of the pattern).

Advanced English

Example A.

1. The Common Module: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (Prose)
   
2. Module A: Richard III by William Shakespeare and Looking for Richard directed by Al Pacino (Shakespeare).
3. Module B: Selected Poems by T.S. Eliot (Poetry/Drama).
   

Reasoning: This is a 'traditional' approach that sheers pretty close to the Literary Canon. For students and teachers who aren't afraid of the Classics (capitalisation intended), this combination would also be potentially useful if you're strapped for resources and ideas - they've all been taught so much and so widely that it should be relatively easy to find collegial support and resources both online and printed.

Example B.

1. The Common Module: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Prose).
2. Module A: The Tempest by William Shakespeare and Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood (Shakespeare).
   
3. Module B: A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen (Poetry/Drama)
   

Reasoning: This is a 'heavy readers' combination that allows for contemporary connections to be made to big concepts with lots of discussion points. For students who have the time or inclination to read (All the Light... is a very large text to ask busy students to read, so I would keep this in mind and watch how students approach texts in the lead-up to Year 12).  

Example C.

1. The Common Module: The Crucible by Arthur Miller (Poetry / Drama).
2. Module A: The Tempest by William Shakespeare and Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood (Shakespeare AND Prose).
3. Module B: Good Night and Good Luck directed by George Clooney (Film option) 

Reasoning: It's really difficult to make some combinations work and, invariably, this will mean one of the two Module A Shakespeare options need to be used just to meet requirements. This pattern of study could yield some fantastically deep thinking if you have a cohort of students who are interested in or already studying Modern History - the combination of The Crucible and Good Night and Good Luck makes use of a shared contextual understanding of McCarthyism and the Cold War. 

Some problems... I don't want to get too bogged down in patterns of study that don't work but I'll outline one example just so it's clear why some things can't happen, and this is purely down to the mandatory Shakespeare/Drama issue:

EG. If you wanted to do an Art/Classical/European approach that makes use of The Hare with the Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal (Module B) then you'd have to sacrifice a lot of other texts that would potentially support its study - if there was a Module A combination that uses a Poetry/Drama text with a Prose text then you could at least do The Merchant of Venice for the Common Module. 

Standard English

Example A.

1. The Common Module: Go Back to Where You Came From directed by Ivan O'Mahoney OR Waste Land directed by Lucy Walker (Media).
2. Module A: Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah by Alana Valentine (Poetry/Drama).
   
3. Module B: Feed by M.T. Anderson (Prose). 

Reasoning: If you're looking to challenge the thinking of your class without relying too much on the cohort having developed literacy skills, then this pattern could work well. There's lots to talk about in connection to our modern global context across all of these texts.

Example B.

1. The Common Module: Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett (Prose).
2. Module A: The Castle directed by Rob Sitch (Film) OR One Night the Moon (Media).
3. Module B: Coast Road by Robert Gray OR Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Drama/Poetry).

Reasoning: This pattern allows for a broad look at Australian culture and could work well for regional or suburban classroom contexts where student cohorts have a strong preference for this sort of thing. You could potential present this pattern to students alongside some others so they feel like they have some agency and input into their HSC. 

Example C.

1. The Common Module: Rainbow's End by Jane Harrison (Poetry/Drama).
2. Module A: Reindeer in My Saami Heart directed by Janet Merewether OR Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung (Media/Non-Fiction).
3. Module B: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (Prose).
   

Reasoning: This approach has a strong focus on identity and advocacy, with students able to examine the challenges surrounding issues such as the Indigenous experience, multiculturalism, and disability. There are strong links in particular that could be made between Rainbow's End and Reindeer... as both deal with indigenous peoples and explore a common global context. 

Some problems... as above for Advanced, I don't want to dwell on the negative, but the biggest problem across the Prescriptions list for Standard English is the lack of Prose fiction options in Modules A and B.

EG. In order to make use of non-Prose options in the Common Module, teachers only have four options across the other two modules to choose from. This will most likely end up being The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which (oddly) is the most accessible text of the four options. The other straightforward option is Feed by M.T. Anderson, but it will depend on the level of interest and patience your class has for quirky science fiction as to whether this would work. The other two options are Henry Lawson's short stories (again, there may be engagement issues with some classrooms) and Small Island by Andrea Levy (a staggeringly long novel of more than 500 pages). 

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If you're a teacher reading this, or a student who's just finished looking at each of the modules, let me know below what pattern of study worked or didn't work for you. Have you come across an unusual pattern that works? I'm very interested in knowing!

ETA Peel Valley HSC Seminar Day

Here you shall find the PowerPoint presentations that I spoke through at the ETA Peel Valley HSC Seminar Day on the 15th of September, 2022. All of these relate to Standard English.

For the Common Module...Texts and Human Experiences: Rainbow's End by Jane Harrison.

• Rainbow's End Seminar Presentation.

For Module A... Language, Identity and Culture: Inside My Mother by Ali Cobby Eckermann.

• Inside My Mother Seminar Presentation.
  

For Module B... Close Study of Literature: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

•  Curious Incident Seminar Presentation.

Any questions at all, feel free to leave them below :)