Enid values education.
Enid believes education is a way to escape the rural poverty she experienced.
Enid believes that education can't be taken away from someone.
Pinnock says her parents received a colonialist education.
Pinnock uses the character of Brod to explore the narrow focus of the British education system in the 1980s.

Common misconception

Education is only ever a positive power.

Consider Pinnock's words about her parents' generation and why and how education can be used as a tool of oppression.

Keywords

Rural poverty - situations in which people who don’t live in urban areas lack financial stability and necessities for day to day living
Precarious - when something is unstable or insecure
Eurocentric - when there is a focus on European culture or history, ignoring or excluding cultures and history from the wider world
Indoctrinate - when you make people believe something; a less formal synonym is to brainwash
Colonisation - when a country establishes control over another country, exploiting it for economic gain

Consider how long pupils need for the table (the final practice task) and work backwards from there. The level of detail in this table is important given the complexity of the ideas pupils are exploring.

Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking' published by Nick Hern Books.

Content guidance

Contains strong language
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Worksheet

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Enid is in six of 'Leave Taking's' eight scenes. Match her scenes to their plot points.

Correct Answer:Scene One,Takes her daughters to an obeah reading

Takes her daughters to an obeah reading

Correct Answer:Scene Two,Prepares for the Pastor's visit; slaps Del who leaves home

Prepares for the Pastor's visit; slaps Del who leaves home

Correct Answer:Scene Three,Finds out about her mother's death

Finds out about her mother's death

Correct Answer:Scene Four,Grieves her mother and gives Viv money for university

Grieves her mother and gives Viv money for university

Correct Answer:Scene Six,Sees Mai again; still processing her grief

Sees Mai again; still processing her grief

Correct Answer:Scene Eight,Has an obeah reading from Del

Has an obeah reading from Del

Q2.

Scene Two of 'Leave Taking' begins with Enid preparing for the Pastor's visit by cleaning the house. What is Viv doing as Enid cleans?

Preparing to go to a party

Arguing with Del

Listening to music

Arguing with Brod

Correct answer: Studying

Q3.

In 'Leave Taking', how does Pinnock establish that education is important to the character of Enid?

Correct answer: She tells Viv to keep studying when she offers to help clean the house.

She boasts to Brod that Viv is descended from Nanny of the Maroons.

Correct answer: She boasts that Viv will go to university.

Correct answer: She is more worried about Del who doesn't have solid qualifications, unlike Viv.

She takes Del to an obeah reading to try and convince her to go back to school.

Q4.

Over the course of 'Leave Taking', what do we find out about Enid's upbringing in Jamaica?

Enid's sister migrated shortly after her.

Enid always dreamed of migrating to England.

Correct answer: Her family didn't have access to basic necessities like running water.

Her mother encouraged her to migrate.

Correct answer: Her family were extremely poor.

Q5.

In Scene Three of 'Leave Taking', Viv says she wants to take a gap year. How does Enid respond?

Encouragingly

Correct answer: Disapprovingly

Positively

Correct answer: Negatively

Proudly

Q6.

Jamaica was a British colony and then a Crown colony until it achieved independence in 1962. What does it mean to be a colony?

Correct answer: To be a country that is fully or partially under the control of another.

To be a country that is a place to migrate to or from.

To be a country that works with another country towards a certain aim.

To be a country that asks another country for support and advice.

Correct answer: To be a country that is exploited by another country for economic gain.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

In Scene Six of 'Leave Taking', Enid says she is not worried about Viv because "They can't take you away from you."

Correct Answer: education, education., Education., Education, "education"

Q2.

In 'Leave Taking', why might we describe Enid's upbringing in Jamaica as precarious?

Enid's family depended on her salary as postmistress, which was quite small.

Correct answer: Enid's family lacked basic day to day necessities for living.

Enid's life was very stable, if impoverished.

Enid and her family relied on Brod, and he migrated when he was quite young.

Correct answer: Enid's family depended on the land which did not always produce crops.

Q3.

In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Viv talks to Brod about her mother's work ethic and determination that she is successful academically. How do these characteristics of her mother's make Viv feel?

Correct answer: nervous

confused

proud

angry

Correct answer: unworthy

Q4.

In Scene Four of 'Leave Taking', Enid tells Viv about her upbringing. She says, "You think it easy living off the land? The land fail you, you might as well be ".

Correct Answer: dead, Dead, Dead., dead., "dead"

Q5.

In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Brod argues with Enid about the way she is bringing up her children. He says, "You these children all wrong."

Correct Answer: teaching, "teaching", Teaching., Teaching, teaching.

Q6.

In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Brod explains why Jamaica is "so poor". He says Jamaica is still suffering from the legacy of " ".

Correct Answer: colonialism , "colonialism", Colonialism , Colonialism. , colonialism.