Thursday, November 27, 2008

Apples of the mind



As well as teaching English language and literature as part of a general programme, we have to teach what’s known as Communication – practical reading, writing and presentation skills – to students who’re doing various vocational subjects. We’re supposed to give them tasks appropriate to their interests. For example, this year I have a class whose main subject is computing and I asked them to write an essay or report on the advantages and drawbacks of the internet.

Most of them wrote:

The internet was invented in…..

One advantage of the internet is…

Another….

However, it also has some drawbacks….


And so on.

But D. wrote:


Cyberspace is effectively infinite, never ending, forever growing and being filled. Being filled with what? Information, sweet juicy knowledge apples waiting to be picked from the tree of data, but like real apples and trees the best fruit is difficult to reach. The internet is the stepladder that allows us to collect the best apples, letting us catch them in the wicker baskets of our minds.

17 comments:

  1. Wow. I bet that made your day!

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  2. Wow. That must have had you sitting up straight all of a sudden! You have a young writer there. I wonder if he/she has a blog????

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  3. Seems like computing might not be this student's true calling.

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  4. Clever lad or lass :)
    An apple for the teacher :)
    Or at least well written piece of prose.

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  5. D is very into the magic of the internet. Pardon me, I must go fill the wicker basket of my mind with some juicy apples from Wikipedia.

    Wait...Wikipedia...Wickerpedia... coincidence? Maybe not.

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  6. I hope that one got an A+!

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  7. I'm sure that made a pleasant change from the "Doh!" answers. He and his wicker basket may go far...Give him a push, Isabelle!

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  8. Wow, some student! I love the wicker baskets of our minds.

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  9. That one must have stuck out like a plum amongst all the prunes.

    Was there anything on the temptation of some of the bad apples on the topmost shelf?

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  10. It sounds as though the Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz has a potential source of a brain, should he still desire one.

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  11. How grand to find that in your marking pile.
    I shall remember'wicker basket of the mind'.

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  12. Wow! That's impressive. If only said student knew that his teacher is one of the apples!

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  13. Makes it all worthwhile...

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  14. what a pleasant written surprise...
    and the photos are lovely :)

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  15. oh, how lovely!!

    how did I miss this post? goodness knows.

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  16. Very picturesque writing. I love writing which conjures up images in the mind as you read. What would your student think if he/she knew that dozens (if not hundreds) of people had read it on your blog?? I'd be tickled pink!

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