All Hail King James II!!

Image by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/soutra/3961994943/

Today in class, we were talking about what the word power means and we came up with different ideas like control, persuasiveness, leadership e.t.c. and the teacher asked us to do some basic research on the a significant person in history that was assigned to us e.g. I was assigned to do James II and we were told to answer the following questions: Get a basic understanding of person’s life, and share what you find. Why were they important to history? How were they portrayed as powerful?

Significant dates and background information: James II was born in 1633 and died in 1701: the second son of Charles I and Henrietta Maria and was born at St. James Palace, London, in 1633. He was given the title, Duke of York and during the Civil War he escaped to the Netherlands. He succeeded his brother, Charles II, to the throne and reigned as king of Great Britain from 1685 until 1688, when he was overthrown in the Glorious Revolution. He became a Roman Catholic, probably as early as 1672. He was an able soldier and seaman, but, unfortunately for him, an inept (unsuitable or useless) politician. James married Anne Hyde, a Catholic and he later converted to Catholicism.

His Significance in History:  Upon his accession to the throne he promised to protect the Church of England and maintain the political and religious status quo, but in the event he could not resist the temptation to reintroduce Roman Catholicism in England. The revocation (annulment) in 1685 of the Edict of Nantes had forced thousands of French Protestants to emigrate to England, intensifying the already vehement (fierce) anti-Catholicism which existed there. James proceeded, ill-advisedly, to enlarge the standing army and to place Catholics within it in positions of command: after doing so, he stationed it where it threatened Protestant London.

In 1687 his order to all Anglican bishops to read his declaration of indulgence (in my words it could mean gratification) from their pulpits–a declaration which, in practice, meant that Dissenters (People who disagreed) would still be persecuted while Catholicism would not only be tolerated but favoured–was met with resistance by seven of the twenty-six bishops, including the Archbishop of Canterbury: those who refused to read it were thrown into the Tower of London, and immediately became national heroes. Freed after trial, they further inflamed (arouse) public sentiment (emotions) against him.

In a short life—he died at 29—he followed the path taken by his father, broke the power of the greatest magnate house, the Black Douglas’s, secured a sizeable increase in royal power at home and a formidable reputation abroad.

 James II Portrayed: He is portrayed as a confident young man, his hands on a dagger at his belt, with the whole of the left side of his face disfigured by a livid vermilion birthmark.

In conclusion: James’s final downfall, however, came about as the result of fears about the succession to the throne.

He had had two Protestant daughters by his first wife, and in the normal course of events the elder would have become Queen, but in 1688 his second, Roman Catholic, wife unexpectedly gave birth to a son: various powerful figures within and without the government, faced with the prospect of a tyrannical (oppressive) Catholic dynasty, treasonously invited William of Orange, the staunchly (faithful) Protestant son of the daughter of Charles I, to assume the throne: James, finding himself bereft (hurt by circumstances) of political and military support, fled, though he stopped to throw the Great Seal of England into the Thames.

He was captured by some fishermen, however, before he could cross the Channel, and was brought back, ignominiously (disgracefully), to London, but William, having no wish to make him a martyr (victim) or a centre for Catholic resistance, contrived to let him escape again. It was announced that he had abdicated (given up), and the throne was officially declared vacant, though it was of course immediately occupied by William and Mary. The unhappy James lived out his life in exile at the court of Louis XIV.

Now you have you have gone back in time and have seen how highly controversial James II was. But even today people still think greatly of him do you think greatly of him? Share your thoughts and I will be happy to hear it.

Hard work pays off!

Image from: Krug6

Today in our English class, we did an activity on the way it feels sweeping with a broomstick, washing clothes with your hands and making tortillas. All this work or chores was done by Esperanza (main character in the book Esperanza rising) who had never done all this things in her life and in some ways, Esperanza was like us because most of us had never done this in our lives. So the teacher asked us these questions: How did you feel about this kind of work before you started? How have your feelings changed? What did you learn about yourself while doing this kind of work? Was it easy? Was it difficult? How did you feel while doing this work? Did you enjoy it? Were you proud? Were you embarrassed? Why? So in this blog post I will be answering this questions.

First of all, when I looked at the work I thought it would be amusing and I felt that this could be quite an experience working with my classmates who also thought the work was fun but as we began, we saw that what we thought was fun was hard work and took a lot of physical strength to be accomplished and even though I had this experience before my feelings towards it had changed because I was able to see other people doing the work and see the different emotion passing through them and I never got that chance to do chores with other people when I was in boarding house, I had to do the work alone. I felt proud when I was doing the activity because I knew I was able to do it diligently and I also didn’t feel embarrassed because I knew when I made a mistake I wasn’t the only one making that mistake and this is a kind of an advantage for everyone because in one way or the other this had been the first experience for everyone. While I was doing this work, the most important thing I learnt about myself is that my feelings takes over when I see that all the hard work I did has been put to waste.

So this made me think of how it would have felt for people who did this for a living and this thought should make us feel guilty if we had taken them for granted and so it is thoughtful to recognise their hard work and thank them for it. I found it easy because I had did this kind of thing every day when I was in boarding house and so it became a part of me even though I don’t do it anymore. When I was doing this work I felt alive and active because it was an activity that got you moving around and making good use of the body which you don’t get a lot of in school these days probably because of technology. I enjoy doing this work because it also brought me and my classmates together and we were able to chat while we were doing the activity and also brought co-operation between me and my classmates because we worked together to get the activity done.

This experience was different and unique because in most English classes this kind of opportunity might not arise. One of the important reason why we had this activity was because of the book we were reading and the teacher wanted us to feel what the character was feeling through a physical activity and that is one of the advantages of reading a book. I quite enjoyed this experience and I am happy to be able to share them. So have you ever had this experience? If so share this experiences and let me know if you have any questions.

This is the video of the activity we were doing in our english class:

Make hay while the sun shines!

Image from: http://www.brawlsnapshots.com/snapshots/114344.jpg

In our class, we were talking about how Isabel (a character in the book Esperanza Rising) felt excited and privileged to be able to go to school. So we were asked to write in a paragraph or two- Is school a right or a privilege? Also we were asked to write about our experiences and memories of school. We were also asked if we found school as exciting as Isabel or took it for granted like Esperanza.

First of all, I would like to say that school is a right and can be a privilege- Why? Well, I think that if everyone had the right to go to school, then most of the population of the world won’t be poor. Also there are lots of poor children out there who could be the next Bill Gates or the next Albert Einstein but are not given the opportunity to go to school.

School builds a lot of elements that makes up a community and the world as we know it is a community and so if all the elements like co-operation are taught in schools and the government has given the right for people to go to school in the past, then most of the war in history would not happen and so therefore, that is a advantage of having the rights to go to school. School can also be a privilege because students who go to school have the benefits of going and that makes it a privilege because; most of the poor people don’t get the opportunity that we have to go to school where we have new experiences each time. With my experiences with the poor and the rich in a school, I have come to notice that most rich people take school for granted because they are wealthy and the poor people who actually get the opportunity study hard at school because they know this is an opportunity that the underprivileged don’t get every day and this theory is something that happens in schools globally.

So sometimes it is better to see what the underprivileged has passed through so we can see the true advantage of having the privilege of going to school. In my opinion, I believe that going to school is quite exciting because it is place that is given the full opportunity to have different people in one room so that way you get to know the different perspective or opinions of different subjects in life at large from different people. Also it is a good place for socializing with people. I wouldn’t take school for granted because I have seen the consequences of people who do e.g. they become beggars because they never listened in school and grasp the information needed to get a job or to progress in life.

So privileges shouldn’t be taken for granted and so anytime we have a benefit, sometimes if you are given the opportunity, we should consider other people and see if our benefits affect their lives positively or negatively. So what do you think? Do you think school should be a right or a privilege? State your ideas and your experiences and let me know if you have any questions.

Woman of Means

Image by: oxfam international

Today in class we were talking about a character in the book Esperanza Rising called Carmen and we talked about the proverb the character said in the book – “I am poor, but I am rich. I have my children, I have a garden with roses, and I have my faith and the memories of those who have gone before me. What more is there?” and the teacher asked us to explain how we understood that message and also what we thought and felt about that message.

I think this statement is quite true because to be rich is different from being wealthy and in her case, the definition of richness is being happy and contented and I think that is the true meaning of being rich. Each thing or person she listed in that statement symbolises something that is a culture or element in the human race. Rich could mean happiness, garden with roses could mean nature, Faith could mean her religion and memories could mean the things in her past times that keep her going no matter the circumstances she faces and so, that alone is better than being wealthy. Some of the things listed are the things that most people that are wealthy lack a lot and even fewer people that are wealthy would give any amount to get these things but sooner they realise that money can’t buy everything e.g. There is a saying that says ‘’Money can’t buy Happiness.’’ So, It is better to be poor and Happy that to be wealthy and miserable. I highly agree with her that if she’s got all those things what more is there? This element can also lead to more profits if used or portrayed. For example I think happiness can lead to a long and healthy life, memories can bring laughter and so on. So, in my opinion one good thing leads to another.

So what do you think of this statement? Do you think the statement is true? Or do you think there is more to life than all the elements stated? Share your ideas there is no right or wrong answer because this saying could have different meaning to different people. It depends on the perspective you look at things.

Understanding the Underprivileged

From: CARF

Today in English class in the book Esperanza Rising, Esperanza escapes and in  the wagon she sees a lot of poor people because before she had been in first class in train ride and now she is at a lower class because her father had died and her house went on fire so she never had this experience with poor people so the teacher asked a question: what is your experience with poor people, and I would like to share my experiences with poor people.

In Nigeria, I have had the chance to live right next to people who are poor. I lived in Lagos and there are lots of poor people there. The poor people that lived next door had already thought I was a rich spoilt child just like most rich children and I had already thought the same way about them but the only difference was that they were poor. So, the relationship between me and the poor children wasn’t off to a good start. They called me names and did other nasty stuffs to me. Along the way, my mum got the opportunity to open a shop right next to them. That was when I began to know them better. So the more I went to the shop the more I knew them for the hardworking people they really were and they also gradually thought the same way about me. I played football with them a lot, they also thought how to weave wristbands and because they made their living by selling cassava they thought the process of growing cassava and we began to know each other better and this taught me lots of morals. One: Just because you’re rich doesn’t mean you should take your parents money for granted. Two: Do not judge people until you know them better. So with this experience, I can say that just because people are poor doesn’t mean they are not as hardworking or smart as you are. It is just that they don’t have the opportunity that you have.

So what are your experiences with the poor? Are they good or bad? Share them and let the world know how underprivileged this poor people are and let us help them have that opportunity that you had.

Daring to go!

From Jus Sri

Today in class we were talking about what esperanza took with her when her house was on fire and so we started linking that situation to our lives by asking ourselves ” what will I take if I was in that situation?” If my house burned down  and I only had a small box these are the items I would take:

My bible: My bible version is called New Living Translation I got my bible from my dad and I have had for 3 or more years. This bible is special and irreplaceable to me because I can understand the story told about Christianity by reading it and also, although there are lots of bibles in the world, my bible is special and irreplaceable because it was used by my dad and passed onto me. My bible has a black leather cover and some of the pages are torn at the edges and some of the pages are highlighted by my dad and each page that is highlighted is linked with the daily human life. I enjoy the highlighted words because they set you thinking because each word used is not a waste of words. So it gets you thinking and what makes it even better is that people come up with different meaning to these words so, there could be more meaning to these words. Also people in different situations grasp a meaning to that word that might be a suitable solution to there problem or situation. That is a reason why the bible is important in christianity. It also has some proverbs about life that helps my daily growth in Christianity. No matter the condition of the bible it will always mean a lot to me because it helped my dad to become who he is today.

My Diary: My diary was given to me by my parents and I have had for 3 or more years. My diary is special to me because it helps me not just to record my memoirs but it also shows a calendar and a map e.t.c I started using a diary when I was told about the benefits a diary can have on human beings and I also think that people who want to be great in life always want to leave an object that reminds them of their past. My diary is like a travel notebook and which gives the diary more because to each country comes different experience and I can record in my little blue notebook. The notebook is in good condition and this emphasis the idea that if you cherish something you put in good condition but this could be debated because its form my own point of view. One of the information I recorded in my diary is when my school team won the soccer schools league and I was proud to be part of that team and also proud of my school. Also in my diary I try to include information of other people experiences in a particular thing or subject in life so I can look back and see what they did if I find myself having that same experience. I am very happy to see that the idea worked and I hope it could be a great idea for you too! My diary is irreplaceable because I have stored information that can be forgotten into my diary and if I lose my diary that could mean part of memories forgotten.

My school reports: My school reports were given to me by the school and I have had reports since I started school. These reports are special in many ways. One of the reasons why they are special is because it shows what I accomplished in each school I left and it also shows areas I need to improve to accomplish a lot more not just in school but at life. It is irreplaceable because if I lose these reports, I can’t go to a university. Education is important in the human race and if humans didn’t educate themselves, they can’t invent or make use or sense of our world.

All this things listed are equally important and can help me in lots of ways. Although the list isn’t a lot, but they can still help me in different ways. But I know as I grow up, the list of things I might need for that kind of scenario would get bigger so the more I grow the more I get responsible for the things significant to me.

So I ask you this question ”If you had to pack up all your things and leave in an instant what would YOU take?”

Esperanza Rising

Question: Explain why Esperanza and Miguel can never marry?

Answer: Here we see the disadvantage of class. The writer gives a clear example using nature on why they can’t marry and she says that Miguel is the housekeeper’s son and she was the ranch owner’s daughter and between them ran a deep river. Esperanza stood on one side and Miguel the other and the river can never be crossed. But to explain what the writer said further, it could mean two things. One: she being a higher class and Miguel a lower class, they can’t possibly marry and one of the reason could be that class was  an important element in the social life of people in those days and it still is today. So because of there class they can’t be joined as man and wife. Two: The writer uses the term river because a strong deep river would have strong currents so in their case the current could symbolise the parents of esparanza and miguel and  the social status rules of class so, no matter how much they want to be together, the currents (parents and class) pulls them back. That way we see the true meaning of why they can’t marry.

Class is a controversial thing in the human race and in my opinion, I think humans could accomplish much more if everyone was equal. I think its unfair and harsh for Esperanza and Miguel to have their lives ruled by a custom that uses the act of propaganda but I also have to consider that the way of live then is different from the way of live now because more people are getting educated and we are also open to different oppurtunities and technology that allows to know the way of live of people in different countries around the world.

Trust in our school

Image by Joi

In class we’ve been talking about the different elements that build a strong community and I think trust is an important element. Trust is the ability to be able to rely on someone and also believing that a person or thing is good, truthful and responsible. Trust is important to me because I need it in different aspect of my life to understand people. I chose trust because I think it’s an element people find difficult to show. So, I decided that it would be helpful to find different ways where we can build trust.

Communication builds trust and honesty in our school through different ways. Communication is to be able to share information between one another. One way might be a student telling the teacher his/her strength and weaknesses because the teacher can help him/her with the weaknesses and how to make the strength in a subject even stronger. The student can then trust the teacher not to share his/her weaknesses with other students. Since you are telling the teacher the right information, and not lying about it then it shows honesty.

Respect and trust can be built in our school through different ways. Respect in a community can mean giving regard to the other party. Some of them could be: Knowing the students, communicating openly with the students, sharing the resources. Our school shows respect because the students do not get into conflicts and the management listens to the students ideas by creating the student council and lots of improvements are gradually shown in the school. We also respect each other’s culture and through different ways. Respect and trust go together and so we must earn respect and trust

Our school shows love through many ways. Love is a strong positive emotion of regard and affection. There is trust in love when you are willing to protect a person no matter the cost. That means because of the love you have for that person you are willing to risk your life for that person and that person has to trust you for it to work perfectly. One way would be by wearing the same coloured uniform (this also show unity), we also represent one big family and a great example to other schools.

Now I know how Trust is linked to the different elements of a community, relationship and friendship.

James

Year 8A