Hello, my name is Ms. Grant.

I'm so glad you decided to learn with me today.

We're looking at our modern text, and our modern text is "Leave Taking".

We're in the first deep dive, so we're looking at the power of education.

Today we're going to focus on the character of Viv, who undergoes a number of changes in terms of her feelings towards the education system and her interaction with the education system.

I cannot wait to look at this character in more depth with you today.

I'm gonna be your support and guide as we work through today's lesson together.

Let's get started.

So by the end of today's lesson, you're going to be able to describe Viv's character arc and what it allows Pinnock to explore.

So we're gonna be looking really closely at the character of Viv, and I'm excited because we get to look at her across all eight scenes.

So when you're first reading the play it's exciting to think, how is this character going to develop, what's gonna be the resolution to their character arc? But now we know what the resolution is, we can look at the character of Viv across all eight scenes and start to think, well, what are Pinnock's intentions with this particular character? There are some key words which are gonna help unlock our learning and help us achieve our objective today.

And they are Eurocentric, informal education, formal education, Rupert Brooke, and character arc.

Let's go through their definitions now.

So Eurocentric, this means when there is a focus on European cultural history, ignoring or excluding cultures and history from the wider world.

And this is one of the criticisms that Viv has of her education system.

Informal education, the learning that occurs outside formal settings, a lifelong education in which you learn about yourself and the world.

And Viv is really eager for this.

She wants to go, for example, to the West Indies to learn who she is.

She says this in scene one.

And this informal learning is very valuable to Viv, but she doesn't quite get to do it.

Enid is against this idea of her informal education and just wants her to continue with her formal education.

Now, formal education is the teaching and learning that happens in institutions and follows a particular curriculum.

So Viv at the moment is in school, she's studying for her A-Levels.

That is an example of her formal education.

Rupert Brooke, an English poet, 1887 to 1915, remembered particularly for his poetry about World War I.

And we're going to look at how Pinnock uses a reference to his poetry in this lesson, and what it helps us to understand about the character of Viv.

And finally, character arc, the way in which a character changes, transforms or develops over the course of a text.

And we're gonna be looking at Viv's character arc today.

So these keywords are gonna be referenced throughout the lesson, and they're gonna help us achieve our objective.

So our lesson outline for today.

We're gonna start by looking at Viv's character arc.

So looking what happens to her across the eight scenes.

And then we're gonna have a focus on Shakespeare, Rupert Brook and Nanny of the Maroons.

All of these important historical figures are referenced in Pinnock's play, and we're going to try and understand, well why are they referenced? But let's start off with Viv's character arc.

So here are the scenes in which Viv appears.

She appears in scene one, two, three, four and five, and then she does not appear on stage again, we just hear about her through other characters.

Now I'd like you to focus on her experiences with education and discuss what happens in each scene? What happens in each of these five scenes in which Viv appears? And I'd like you to focus on the idea of education.

Pause the video and discuss the question now.

Fantastic knowledge of the full play, but it was also really nice to see people reaching for their texts.

Of course, when we are analysing a text, when we are looking at a text again, you should have your copy of "Leave Taking" right next to you, whatever text it is that you are studying, so that you can refer to it throughout.

So let's have a look at the ideas that you might have had.

So in scene one, she's taken to an Obeah reading and she wants to know what grades she'll get.

So she is interested in the Obeah reading, but she is also interested in the idea that Mai might be able to tell her how she will do in her exams. In scene two, she studies while Enid cleans, and Brod questions her Eurocentric knowledge In scene three, she tells her mother that she wants to take a gap year in the West Indies.

In scene four, she's unhappy studying "Books that have nothing to do with me." And lots of people reference this key quotation from scene four.

It's one that I would definitely rely on over and over again if I were looking at the theme of education or the character of Viv.

And then scene five, she skips an exam, angry that her experiences aren't reflected in the syllabus.

And we find this out through a dialogue she has with Del.

So really fantastic recall of knowing what happens to this character.

And knowing what happens to a character and when it happens in the play is a really important first step in order to organise your thoughts about "Leave Taking." Now I'd like you to discuss, so we know what happens, excellent first step.

We now need to discuss, well what might Pinnock be asking her audiences to consider via Viv's experiences with education? So just pushing that question a little bit further, pushing our thoughts a little bit further.

With each of these scenes, with each of these moments with Viv and her experiences with education, what might Pinnock be asking her audiences to consider? Pause the video and discuss the question now.

Welcome back and well done for using these plot points as a jumping off point for even deeper thoughts.

You can see why the plot is so important.

If you've got a really good handle on the plot, then you can push yourself and push your evaluative skills even further.

So some ideas that you might have had.

So in scene one, she's taken to an Obeah reading and she wants to know what grade she'll get.

Well, potentially Pinnock is exploring here, the pressures of exams, because Viv does seem quite stressed out about the idea of her upcoming exams. In scene two, she studies while Enid cleans, and Brod questions her Eurocentric knowledge.

Now, as lots of people said, "Well, Pinnock here is pushing us to see what do we value as a society in terms of knowledge and skill." And we're gonna look at scene two in a lot more detail in today's lesson.

So I'm not gonna go into too much depth now, but some fantastic ideas I heard about the staging of this scene and the fact that Brod really pushes Viv's knowledge about Nanny of the Maroons, and that might question some of her Eurocentric knowledge.

But as I say, we're gonna look at that in a lot more detail later in this lesson.

Scene three, she tells her mother she wants to take a gap year in the West Indies.

Well, here we start to think about the importance of informal education.

I've heard lots of people using this keyword.

Well, Viv does not want to continue her formal education at this point in the play in a university setting.

She's more interested in her informal education, the idea that taking a gap year in the West Indies would teach her a lot, would educate her a lot, but it would be outside a formal setting.

Scene four, she's unhappy studying "Books that have nothing to do with me." Well, Pinnock is perhaps exploring the impact of a narrow curricula, so the fact that all of Viv's education she doesn't see herself reflected, she's in her final year of school, so she has been in the formal education system for a long time, and she has not seen herself reflected in any of the curricula that she has followed.

Scene five, she skips an exam, angry her experiences aren't reflected in the syllabus.

Well, Pinnock is asking us to think about the repercussions of a narrow curricula.

Del says to Viv, "Are you trying to F your life up?", in this scene, and encourages to go back and take the exam.

So we're seeing the repercussions of a narrow curricula.

You get someone like Viv, who's an incredibly academic and able student, actually rejecting the formal education system because she does not see herself reflected there.

So some really, really nice ideas about Pinnock's intentions with this character, with the character of Viv, and her character arc.

So Pinnock illustrates Viv's dissatisfaction with formal education.

And these two quotes, which I heard lots of people referencing in relation to Viv, and really, really important as I say, if you're exploring the idea of education or exploring the character of Viv.

So one from scene four, "Spend my life bent over books that have nothing to do with me," and one from scene five, "No matter how hard I search for myself in them books, I'm never there." So we know that Viv is dissatisfied with formal education.

However, in scene eight we learn that Viv is going to university.

She's enrolled in a course called Black Studies.

I'd like you to discuss what might Pinnock be exploring through the resolution of Viv's character arc.

I remember the first time I read the play, we don't see Viv after scene five.

So when I heard this in scene eight, when I read this in scene eight, I thought, "Ah, that's a really interesting character development, a really interesting choice that Pinnock has made." And what do you think Pinnock might be exploring through the resolution, the ending of Viv's character arc? So pause the video and discuss the question now.

Some really interesting discussions there about Pinnock's choice to have Viv continue her formal education, but make very clear that she's enrolled in a course called Black Studies.

And some people saying, "Well, it shows how important it is that the formal education system caters to a diverse range of knowledge, and that everybody can see themselves reflected in the education system." Because Viv wasn't that sure that she wanted to pursue her university education, but now seems, as she says in the text, that she's excited.

And the reason she's excited is because she's potentially gonna have a more fulfilling formal education experience than she has at school, because she might see herself reflected.

She, as a black British citizen, might now see herself reflected in this course called Black Studies.

I also had some really interesting ideas about the idea that Pinnock doesn't want her character just to reject the formal education system and pretend that it's not important.

It is very important.

But it's the idea that there needs to be nuance, there needs to be formal education that caters for all, rather than this narrow focus on Eurocentric education.

So Pinnock's asking us not to just blanket reject the formal education system, but consider, is it kind of fit for purpose for the UK citizens? Now Aisha says, "Pinnock uses Viv's character arc to show formal education isn't important." But Sofia and Jacob disagree.

And I'd like you to discuss, thinking about Viv's character arc, which we've just explored in great detail, what ideas might they have used to correct Aisha's statement? Pause the video and discuss the question now.

Some really brilliant discussions there showing that you understand that Pinnock is presenting quite a complicated nuanced argument about the education system.

She's not just saying we should reject the formal education system outright.

That's not what she's doing with the character of Viv.

So Sofia said, "Viv remains in formal education, she goes to university, and Pinnock suggests her course will reflect her experiences more than her schooling has." So formal education is important because Viv does want to go to university.

She's excited about pursuing Black Studies at university.

So it is important.

Formal education is important.

And Jacob says, well, "It's the opposite.

Pinnock emphasises school's importance and impact.

For this reason, its curriculum must encompass a range of experiences and knowledge." So formal education is very important to Viv.

It is important to Enid but it is important to Viv as well.

We can see in scene one she's worried about the results that she might get and she is a very academic and able student.

So it is important.

But it's important, or more important, Pinnock is drawing attention to the fact that it's more important that it reflects a range of experiences and knowledge, and doesn't just have a really, really narrow curriculum.

So whilst Pinnock might be critical of the education system, she's saying it is important.

And look at the impact that it has on Viv.

At one point she completely rejects the formal education system, which is something that she doesn't necessarily really want to do, particularly as we see her enrol in university at the end.

So it's obviously an important aspect of her life for her.

So a check for understanding so that we really understand Viv's engagement with the formal education system, and her character arc over the eight scenes.

So Viv's feelings towards formal education undergo a number of changes over the course of the play.

Is this true or false? Pause the video and select your response now.

Well done if you selected True.

Now I'd like you to justify your answer.

Is it A, after Brod questions her Eurocentric education, Viv severs her ties to all formal education for good.

Or B, Viv questions whether she wants to continue her formal education, but her university course perhaps suggests a more fulfilling future for Viv.

Pause the video and select justification now.

Well done if you selected B.

Now, Brod does question Viv's Eurocentric education.

She doesn't sever all ties, she skips one of her A-Level exams, but we do hear at the end of the play that she has enrolled in university.

So we know that she hasn't severed all ties with her formal education for good.

Now, I'd like you to use the three sentence starters below, and their prompts, to formalise your thoughts about the character of Viv.

So we've got, "Viv is dissatisfied with her formal education because.

," "Viv is dissatisfied with her formal education but.

," and "Viv is dissatisfied with her formal education so.

." And you've got some prompts at the side of each of those sentence starters to prompt you to look at particular moments in the play, or to think about particular dramatic methods that Pinnock has employed.

So using that incredibly rich discussion that you just had, showing off your fantastic knowledge of Viv and what Pinnock is doing with this character, I'd like you to pause the video, get your pen, paper, your laptop, whatever it is you're writing on, and complete these sentence starters now.

Pause the video and complete the task now.

Well done for formalising your thoughts about the character of Viv and showing off your fantastic knowledge of how she engages with the formal education system.

Before we celebrate your work, I'd like you to do some self-assessment.

So self-assess your sentences using the questions below to guide you.

So "Viv is dissatisfied with her formal education because.

." So that first sentence, have you included a keyword, for example, Eurocentric, or selected a relevant quotation from across any of the scenes that Viv appears in? "Viv is dissatisfied with her formal education, but.

." And really, I'm pushing you here to reference scene eight, how does that character arc end for Viv? And finally, "Viv is dissatisfied with her formal education so.

." And I'd like you to consider, have you used Pinnock's name and have you considered how audiences might interpret the character of Viv? So pause the video and using these self-assessment questions, have a look at your sentences and make any amendments if you need to.

Pause the video now.

Well done for self-assessing your sentences so carefully.

I saw some people adding a keyword here or there or a quotation or looking at scene eight, returning to their texts.

Just making sure that those sentences are as clear and precise as possible.

So we've looked at Viv's character arc, we've got great understanding of her across all eight scenes.

We're now gonna focus on scene two and we're gonna look at these references that Pinnock includes to Shakespeare, Rupert Brooke and Nanny of the Maroons, and consider, well why has she included these specific references? Why has she chosen to reference these specific people and what can it help us understand about Viv's relationship with the education system? Now, Pinnock contrasts Viv's questioning of the formal education system with Enid's faith in it.

This contrast is emphasised in scene two, a scene which opens with Enid cleaning and Viv studying.

And you'll remember, we referenced this at the beginning of learning cycle one, and said that we would look at it in more detail later in the lesson.

Well, here we are now, we're gonna look at it in more detail.

So Viv says, "Out, out, damned spot," as Enid is cleaning, This is the opening of scene two.

And Enid says, "Eh?" And Viv says, "Shakespeare." And Enid, enjoying saying it, says, "Shakespeare." Viv in a posher accent says, "Shakespeare." And Enid mimicking, "Shakespeare." Enid resumes her scrubbing.

"Out out, damned spot," she says.

Viv says, "It's not a magic spell." Now, "Out, out, damned spot," this is a quotation from Shakespeare.

And it's a quotation from a play called "Macbeth," a character who plotted a murder, now hallucinates they have blood on their hands.

So Viv is making a joke, connecting what she's studying in her books with her mother's cleaning.

And Shakespeare's widely considered England's greatest writer, and he's often called England's national poet.

Now, I'd like you to discuss these two questions.

How does Pinnock emphasise Enid's faith in formal education? And how does Pinnock emphasise Viv's lack of faith in formal education? And I'd like you to focus if you can, on her final line.

So just looking at this section from the beginning of scene two, discuss these two questions.

Pause the video and start your discussion now.

Some really lovely discussions there.

So in learning cycle one, you showed off your ability to look across the whole play, to think about a character across all eight scenes, but now you are showing off your ability to focus in on a tiny moment in scene two, and really think about it in evaluative detail.

So how does Pinnock emphasise Enid's faith in formal education? Well, she really enjoys the fact that Viv is studying, and she enjoys the fact that she's able to quote from Shakespeare.

So Enid is enjoying saying the word Shakespeare, and then she mimics, "Out, out, damned spot." So she feels a kind of sense of security and a sense of pleasure in the fact that Viv is studying, and that she's studying incredibly hard and that that hard work is paying off in academic success.

Some people also referenced that they remembered earlier in this scene, Viv actually said, "Can I help you clean?" And Enid says, "No, you must continue with your studying." So again, Pinnock is showing that Enid has faith in the formal education system, and she is saying, "Viv, you've got to focus entirely on that.

I will do the cleaning, I will make the sacrifice for you, so that you can continue your formal education." But how does Pinnock emphasise Viv's lack of faith in the formal education system? Well, this final line when she says, "It's not a magic spell." So her mum is saying, "Out, out, damned spot," as she's cleaning.

It is a bit of a joke, the idea that Enid is saying this word as she cleans.

So the idea that there's dirt on the floor and Enid is saying, "Out, out, damned spot," as if she's angry with the dirt on the floor.

But I think that Viv saying, "It's not a magic spell," she's questioning the kind of transformative powers of education.

So she's saying education won't magically remove the dirt in the same way that it won't magically make our lives easier.

So I think this kind of simile at the end where Viv is drawing attention to the fact that her mum really thinks formal education is the key to success, Viv is slightly questioning that here by saying, "It's not a magic spell," it actually can't do anything physical.

It cannot remove the dirt from the floor and it potentially won't transform your life or my life in a way that you hope.

So it's not only Viv who questions Enid's faith in formal education.

Scene two sees Brod and Enid disagree too.

And actually, Brod's disagreement with Enid is much stronger than the kind of implication that we've just looked at with Viv where she says, "It's not a magic spell." So Brod says, "You teaching these children all wrong.

They're going to forget where them come from.

These girls got Caribbean souls." So he's really explicit.

"You teaching these children all wrong." To prove his point, Brod says to Viv, "Girl, you a A-class student, tell me what you know about Nanny of the Maroons." And Nanny of the Maroons was an 18th century leader of the Jamaican Maroons.

She led formerly enslaved Africans against the British colonialists.

So an important historical figure in general, but particularly important for Viv who's got Jamaican heritage.

Now, Viv replies, "Never heard of her." And annoyed, Brod tells Enid, "You mix these children up, Enid." But Enid disagrees, saying, "Mix up what? They know who they are.

She know who she is.

Tell him who you are." Now, in response to Enid's command, "Tell him who you are," Pinnock has Viv quote from another English poet, Rupert Brooke.

So she quoted from William Shakespeare earlier, and now Viv is quoting from another English poet, Rupert Brooke.

And Viv stands and recites, "A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware, A body of England's, breathing English air, Washed by the rivers, blest by the suns of home." And Enid, not quite sure how to take this, say, "You see, see.

'Breathing English air,' English." Now this quotation comes from a poem called "The Soldier." It was written in 1915 by Rupert Brooke.

So the quotation that Viv recites that she knows off by heart, it comes from this poem called "The Soldier." And it's about a soldier who's willing to die for his country in World War I, because of how much it has done for him.

In many ways, it's a deeply patriotic poem.

So someone who's expressing their love for their country.

Now this bit here, "A dust to England bore, shaped, made aware, A body of England's, breathing English air, Washed by the rivers, blest by the suns of home." This means a person who England gave birth to and formed as a person.

So a bit of personification here, the idea that England gave birth to this person and formed them as a person.

That's what this quotation and this section of "The Soldier" means.

Now, Pinnock could have had Viv quote from any poem there.

The play is hers, "Leave Taking" is hers.

Pinnock could have had Viv quote from any poem that she wished.

Discuss why might she have selected this one, this moment from this Rupert Brooke poem? So pause the video and have a real think.

Why do you think Pinnock had Viv quote from this poem at this particular moment? Why did she select this section from the Rupert Brooke? Pause the video and discuss the question now.

Well done for engaging with this quite difficult question here.

The idea of really thinking about Pinnock's choices and thinking about this difficult moment from a poem, "The Soldier," that has kind of dropped into "Leave Taking" in scene two during this fight between, well, this conflict between Enid and Brod.

So some ideas you might have had.

Well, the connection and faith in England that this poet has, this speaker in the poem has, contrasts with Viv and Brod's feelings about how England treats and respects her as a black British citizen and second generation immigrant.

Feelings awakened through Brod's questioning.

So this speaker in the poem, "The Soldier," is saying, England gave birth to me and formed me as a person.

And lots of people reference, well, Viv doesn't feel much connection with her schooling, says that the books have nothing to do with her, and so we can see a sort of example here because she does not feel that connection and faith in England.

And we see that through Viv, but also through Brod, very strongly in scene two, about how England is treating and respecting her as a Black British citizen.

So there's this kind of moment of contrast here between Viv's schooling and the feelings that are evoked in this poem, and the way that Viv is actually feeling about England.

Now, a quick check for understanding 'cause that was a difficult moment in the play, to look at this kind of metatextual reference, this reference to this Rupert Brooke poem, within a text itself.

So why does Pinnock have Viv quote Rupert Brooke? Is it A, other characters have talked about Viv's intellect and this shows it off, B, the poem contrasts to how Viv feels about her relationship with England, C, Enid feels this poem reflects who her children are, D, Pinnock uses it as an example of the Eurocentric education system.

Pause the video and select your responses now.

Well done if you selected B and D.

So Enid is not thinking this poem reflects who her children are.

You can see that stage direction at the end of the short section we just read, where it says, "Enid is not quite sure how to take it," she doesn't quite understand the poem that Viv has recited.

So she does talk about the fact that she's very proud of her English girls.

She does have conflict with Brod about the way she's bringing them up, the way she's teaching them.

But the poem itself does not express who Enid thinks her children are.

She doesn't quite get the poem.

She doesn't connect to it in the same way that Viv says, "Look, I don't connect to this either." So Jacob writes, "Arguably, Pinnock uses scene two to show that Viv's rejection of the formal education system in scene five is inevitable." So he knows the whole play really, really well, just like you do.

He's just done a close reading of scene two, of that short section of scene two, and he says, "Well, I think this moment, Pinnock uses it to show Viv's rejection of the formal education system in scene five is inevitable." Now, I'd like you to develop Jacob's argument using the three sentence starters below.

"More specifically,.

." And I'd like you to refer to a moment in scene two and explore it's significant.

"Furthermore,.

." And then I'd like you to strengthen your argument by making another reference to the text.

So I know you'll be able to do that because we looked across all eight scenes in the first learning cycle.

And finally, "Ultimately, Pinnock uses this scene to.

." And then I'd like you to consider Pinnock's intentions and use a keyword.

Again, this will build on all of the discussion and work that we did in learning cycle one, where we were really thinking about Pinnock's intentions with the character of Viv.

So we've got Jacob's argument, and all you're going to do is develop it by making some references to the text and then exploring Pinnock's intentions.

So use those sentence starters.

Use those prompts to help you with your writing.

I'd like you to pause the video, get your pen, paper, your copy of "Leave Taking," of course, whatever it is that you're going to write on.

And I would like you to use the instructions on the board to help develop the argument that Jacob has put forth.

I will see you back here shortly.

Pause the video and complete the task now.

Welcome back after some fantastic writing about Viv and her relationship with the education system, the formal education system.

You have built on all of your knowledge from learning cycle one, drawing together her character arc, and then looking really specifically at a moment in scene two where we can draw some inferences about what Pinnock wants us to think about the education system, and Viv's relationship with it.

Before we celebrate your work, I'd like you just to do some self-assessment using the questions below to guide you.

So we know Jacob says that, "Arguably, Pinnock uses scene two to show Viv's rejection of the formal education system in scene five is inevitable." And you are gonna develop that argument.

So with that sentence starter, more specifically, have you made sure that you've explored a moment in scene two? For example, the Rupert Brooke quotation doesn't necessarily need to be there, but that might have been a rich source of analysis.

"Furthermore,.

." was your next sentence starter.

And when you have used that sentence starter, "furthermore,.

." have you explored another moment in scene two? For example, when Brod asks about Nanny of the Maroons? And finally, "Ultimately Pinnock uses this scene to.

." Have you explored what Pinnock might be asking us to consider, using a keyword like Eurocentric or formal education? And lots of the ideas from learning cycle one will have informed the end of that paragraph.

So pause the video and using these self-assessment questions, re-read your entire paragraph and make any amendments that you might need to.

Pause the video and self-assess now.

Well done for completing that self-assessment so carefully.

Discussion, writing, and then self-assessment, they are the cornerstones, or the three things that you must do every time you complete some extended writing.

The planning is just as important as the writing, the editing just as important as the writing.

And these are all part of the writing process.

I saw some people making a few changes, particularly looking at their final sentence and just making sure they had a keyword in there, or strengthening some of their references to the text with a quotation and thinking, "Well, does this quotation really support Jacob's argument that he has put forward?" In summary, Viv's relationship with the formal education system changes over the course of the play.

Arguably, Brod acts as a catalyst for Viv's questioning of what she's being taught in school.

Viv quotes from Shakespeare and Rupert Brooke in scene two.

Arguably, through Viv's quotations, Pinnock is asking us to consider the Eurocentric nature of Viv's schooling.

And Viv's studying Black Studies at university could suggest she will find the next step of her formal education more fulfilling.

It's been such a pleasure to look at the character of Viv across all eight scenes, to think about her character arc, and then to formalise some of the ideas, what Pinnock is asking us to think about through this character.

I really look forward to seeing you next time.