Hector, who has been teaching for a long time, instils his pupils with quotes from famous poets and classic novels. Irwin seems to feel satisfied by thinking that there is no time for his hectors kind of teaching anymore p. Informitive lessons may take place without all stratigies invovled. All three of the characters have their own unique attitude towards the boys impending oxbridge examinations, putting the boys in the difficult position of having to keep a reasonable balance between teaching and. Unlike irwin, none of the teachers went to oxbridge so they dont know how they can help the boys get in. Irwin is also a teacher he is new and is brought in to help get the boys into oxbridge, and he introduces a new teaching style that differs immensely from mr. Bennett introduces the theme of sexuality in this section, even though its relevance to the plot is not fully fleshed out until act two. The history boys project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Alan bennett also shows us what the education was like in the north of england in the 1980s. When irwin first arrives to the school, he is curious about why hector keeps the. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. The two characters are naturally opposed in age, teaching style and fundamental beliefs.
The philosophy of teaching essay 1115 words bartleby. Timms speaks to the conflict between teaching styles that alan bennett explores in the history boys. You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on part i, and about 40 minutes on part ii or part iii. The history boys edit written by alan bennett, the history boys is set in a fictional grammar school in the 1980s, following the story of 8 oxbridge candidates as they progress under the tuition of 2 very different teaching styles. The character of hector in the history boys from litcharts the. Lintott each plying sharply contrasting educational styles. Mar 20, 2011 irwin is hired as a temp to ensure that the boysinterviews and exams will be good enough. Write down a few statements which describe the teaching styles of hector, irwin and mrs lintott and again be prepared to share ideas. How does bennett present different teaching styles in the history boys. The modern view of education conflicts with hectors antiquated methods. Film and education teaching and learning styles on film 2. Hector s orthodox knowledgefirst style and irwin s sly approach to answering exams.
The boys halfjokingly express the central differences between hector and irwin s teaching styles. Whereas thoughtful hector finds irwin s approach unacceptable. How does the student progress toward understanding. Hector character profile hector is an enthusiastic lover of poetry, he teaches the boys on what he feels best. In the play the history boys alan bennett is known to utilize multiple styles and themes within his work. Irwin pushes the boys to think outside of the box, and steer them away from the status.
The transmission of knowledge is in itself an erotic act. The history boys tells the story of 8 academic working and middle class boys from a grammar school in sheffield whom are applying for oxford and cambridge university in the. Instant downloads of all 1297 litchart pdfs including the history boys. The history boys analysisinsight on hector zooming in on.
The writers intention is to show the different opinions on education and the different ways of teaching. Hector is discovered sexually fondling a boy and later irwins latent homosexual. The comedy in the history boys english literature essay. Hector and irwin have a conflicting approach to education. On one hand we have hector, the general studies teacher to the boys, who is a particularly eccentric man, that has an already close and established relationship with the boys. The headmaster deplores hectors teaching style, because its results cannot be measured or quantified. Instead of teaching the boys history to learn about life in the past, mr. Proudly jingling youre a levels, those longedfor emblems of your conformity, you have come before me once again to resume your education. How does bennett present different teaching styles in the. He teaches the boys all these, gobbets of extraordinary knowledge by heart, but then insists that they dont use it in.
Eight unruly grammar school boys preparing to take their oxbridge entrance exams are exposed to the contrasting teaching styles of two very different. In the play the history boys allan bennet makes the audience consider the contrast between the teaching styles of irwin and hector, hector, is an entirely different person from irwin, playful, rule breaking, he appears at first to be a lively and rule breaking and his personality is revealed through his views on education however on the other hand hector is the opposite to irwin because. Irwins teaching ethics and his approach to history go hand in hand with the. Hector and irwin up to page twenty nine of the play bennett gives the audience a fairly clear perception of the characters hector and irwin. Bennett presents three contrasting teaching styles in the history boys through the characters of hector, mrs lintott, and irwin.
The opposition of the teaching styles plays the stereotype of the old versus new. He understands the game which irwin is teaching them to play with history. Hector argues that it is impossible to be objective towards such a horrifying event, so it can not be taught. Features a clash between two different styles of teaching, embodied by the two contrasting teachers, mr. Oct 15, 2015 in the play the history boys allan bennet makes the audience consider the contrast between the teaching styles of irwin and hector, hector, is an entirely different person from irwin, playful, rule breaking, he appears at first to be a lively and rule breaking and his personality is revealed through his views on education however on the other hand hector is the opposite to irwin because. Irwin teaches the boys specifically how to pass their exams but contrarily hector teaching style encourages. The boys halfjokingly express the central differences between hector and irwins teaching styles. Yet despite the clash between irwin and hectors teaching styles, they have much more in common than is initially apparent. The history boys characters from litcharts the creators of. Hector s teaching, although impressive, frustrates some. We dont see it, and because we dont see it this means that. Nov 22, 2006 butbennett shortchanges irwins view of history by putting it in the mouth of such an amoral cynicthus making history boys something less than the rich meditation on teaching and intellectual. Too little of the heart but by the end of the lesson, irwin s methods are on top.
Irwin education isnt something for when theye old and grey and sitting by the fire. The unofficial leader of the boys is dakin dominic cooper, the goodlooking charmer of the lot. The play opens in cutlers grammar school, sheffield, a fictional boys grammar school. Despite the generation gap suggesting that hector, the older individual, should have a sterner, traditional approach to learning and irwin, the younger man, should have a more liberal attitude, the roles are in fact reversed. Comparing and contrasting hector and irwin s use as devices in the history boys but this is history. Extent does hectors view of education english language essay. Lockwoods joking comment that hector is nobler has a grain of truth to it. T he story begins with the boys preparing for the oxbridge entrance examinations under the guidance of three teachers hector, irwin and mrs. Proudly jingling youre a levels, those longedfor emblems of your conformity, you have come before me once again to. However, unlike irwin, hector s teaching style is scattered.
He also cannot articulate the specific use of these quotations he just wants the students to respect them and to pass their knowledge on. Hector is discovered sexually fondling a boy and later irwin s latent homosexual. The first time we see irwin it is in the future when he is acting as a spin doctor for the government, he is in a wheelchair, which acts as a narrative hook to the end of the play. Irwin, however, is hired as a tutor to the boys to help them polish their style.
The character of irwin in the history boys essay example. Irwin teaches the boys that they need to attract the attention of the. There are tangible rewards for students who follow a resultsbased curriculum, like what irwin is following, while hectors methods are not. His character comes across as quite caring, although he is a paedophile.
Dakin in history boys characters aqa gcse english literature. The history boys and educating rita have common themes running through the spine of each text, regarding formal education and learning for selfsatisfaction. The history boys makes the silly sensible at the little. Mohsin hussein rasho philosophy of teaching essay assignment there are many students thinking about their future because they desire to be the great teacher or. Lintott and hector in the staff room, talking about irwin. Butbennett shortchanges irwins view of history by putting it in the mouth of such an amoral cynicthus making history boys something less than the rich meditation on teaching and intellectual. Teaching styles irwin alternative interpretations hector waste of time, laissez faire mrs lintott traditional,facts. His character comes across as quite caring, although. Hector, an eccentric teacher, delights in knowledge for its own sake, but the headmaster ambitiously wants the school to move up the academic league table. However, the play ends tragically, with hector and irwin crashing on hectors.
The opposite ways of teaching are represented by hector and irwin. Sep 24, 2015 both hector and irwin have very different approaches to education and how students should be taught. Hector a levels are credentials, qualifications, the footings of your cv. His passion contrasts with the icy cool and competitiveminded irwin. Irwin pushes the boys to think outside of the box, and steer them away from the status quo answer. What the history boys teaches us about education welcome. The play explores common problems among teenage boys, from achieving the needed grades become a student at oxford to homosexuality.
Philosophy of teaching essay assignment mohsin rasho valparaiso university nur 641 i have neither given nor received, nor have i tolerated others use of unauthorized aid. History boys film analysis what philosophy does irwin. Set in the early 1980s, the play follows a group of history pupils preparing for the oxford and cambridge entrance examinations under the guidance of three teachers hector, irwin, and lintott with contrasting styles. Teacher irwin michael dobbyn plays the inside the box straight man to teacher hectors jeffrey westlake offthe cuff, unorthodox but inspired and inspiring style of teaching and classroom management. There are tangible rewards for students who follow a resultsbased curriculum, like what irwin is following, while hector s methods are not. The boys are taught by three teachers who are called hector, irwin and lintott who all employ contrasting teaching techniques. Alan bennetts the history boys uses the opposition created between the characters of hector and irwin to structure the play and question the education system. Dakin uses sex to get what he wants he manipulates both hector and irwin. Hector, an eccentric teacher, delights in knowledge for its own sake but his ambitious headmaster wants the school to move up the academic league table and hires irwin, a supply teacher, to introduce a rather more cynical and ruthless style of teaching. Looking back, immediately in front of us is dead ground. Although all of the stratigies may be able to incorporate all learning disciplines and learning styles a lesson does not need to contain the entire array of philisophical stratigies. Its for now vs hector says the opposite then the antidote will be readyeven in death rudge history is just one ing thing after the other hector i count examinations even for oxford and cambridge as the enemy of education.
Lintott claims that men are clever when it comes to. Irwins lessons change the boys views on hector and they find irwins lessons more useful than hectors which consist of just the knowledge. Bennett uses this opposition as a way of making the audience sympathise with hector and admire irwin more. Too little of the heart but by the end of the lesson, irwins methods are on top. Hectors orthodox knowledgefirst style and irwins sly approach to answering exams. Forming a personal connection with literature is one of the main tenets of hectors teaching philosophy. Irwin must combine classes, and they are debating whether the holocaust should be taught in school. The headmaster suggests hector s teaching methods are dated as hector has an old fashioned redemptive power of words. Hector is very reluctant to share lessons with irwin, whose teaching style is very different. Irwins interruption of hector and the boys acting out the brothel scene is a way for bennett to polarize the two characters. Hector is a paedophile and takes advantage of the boys by touching them up on his motorbike. Irwin, however, wants the boys to harness this knowledge to present a new view of history. Objectives to examine representations of teaching and learning styles through the history boys discuss representations of sexuality in the. Set at the fictional cutlers grammar school in sheffield, it follows a group of male history students preparing for the oxford and cambridge entrance exams while being mentored by a trio of teachers with contrasting styles.
Hector graham hopkins and lintott louise saintclaire are longtime teachers at cutlers while irwin theo landey is the interloper with his brash, cynical. Comparing and contrasting hector and irwins use as devices in the history boys but this is history. Hectors teaching, although impressive, frustrates some. Irwin s lessons change the boys views on hector and they find irwin s lessons more useful than hectors which consist of just the knowledge. Both hector and irwin have very different approaches to education and how students should be taught. Dakin uses the metaphor of world war i to illustrate his struggle to have sex with fiona. Hector wouldnt compare academics to a striptease, and his class does feel somewhat sacred earlier on, he even uses a bible passage to describe it. Hector of general studies is bookloving creature, although i think bookloving is a quite a generic term for mr. Irwin, a supply teacher, is hired to introduce a rather more cynical and ruthless style of teaching.
The headmaster suggests hectors teaching methods are dated as hector has an old fashioned redemptive power of words. Irwin is presented as being cynical, especially towards hector throughout the play. He also cannot articulate the specific use of these quotations he just wants the. However his love for the boys doesnt just stop at teaching. In the play the history boys allan bennet makes the audience consider the contrast between the teaching styles of irwin and hector, hector, is an entirely different person from irwin, playful, rule breaking, he appears at first to be a lively and rule breaking and his personality is revealed through his views on education however on the other hand hector is the. Lintott about hector, but he is really speaking more to the state of the educational system in britain than he is about any one teacher in particular. Hector is an enthusiastic lover of poetry, he teaches the boys on what he feels best. Whereas thoughtful hector finds irwins approach unacceptable. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. The history boys and educating rita 54 words bartleby. However, unlike irwin, hectors teaching style is scattered. In this quotation, the headmaster is speaking to mrs. It is a perfect scene to juxtapose the two teachers and teaching styles.