Annotations

1. 'Potter sir', The 'sir' was somewhat delayed.
A: This sentence is taken from the lesson 'To Sir with Love' written by E.R. Braithwaite. The lesson is an extract from his autobiographical novel. The author presents his initial challenges and experience as a teacher new to profession. His determination helps him to with the trust of the students. The author instructed the students to follow certain courtesies in the class room. He announces that from now on the students will address him as 'Sir'. The ladies will be addressed as Miss and the boys by their surnames. Immediately a boy stands up and demands to know why the girls should be addressed thus. The teacher asks the boy his name. The boy replies 'Potter' without adding 'Sir'. The teacher prompt him and then the boy adds sir in a hesitant manner.
2. I am your teacher and I think it right and proper that I should let you know something of my plans for this class.
A: This sentence is taken from the lesson 'To Sir with Love' written by E.R. Braithwaite. The lesson is an extract from his autobiographical novel. The author presents his initial challenges and experience as a teacher new to profession. He is shocked to find that the students are ill-bred and indifferent. But he is idealistic and decides to make an attempt to change their attitude and behaviour. On the second day he announces in class that he wants to share with the students the plans he has made for teaching them. He says that it is his responsibility to let the students know that he is going to do in the class room. The teacher plays an important role in moulding the behaviour and character of students.

Paragraph Questions

1. Describe briefly the scene between the speaker and the listeners in the story, To Sir with Love.
A: The lesson 'To Sir, with Love' written by E.R. Braithwiate. The lesson is an extract from his autobiographical novel.
'To Sir, with Love' is a touching account of the experiences of a teacher who cares about his students. The scene in the classroom. It is the top class of that school. The students are young boys and girls who are rude, illbred, and indifferent. The speaker is the teacher who has just joined the school. He wants to bring about a change in the students. He is friendly but firm. He prefers persuasion to punishment. He says he will treat them like adults. He talks to them about the need to treat one another with respect and politeness. He points out that they should be role models for the lower classes. The students are receptive and begin to mind their ways under his guidance.
2. 'You will be treated not as children, but as young men and women, by me and by each other.' Why does the speaker say this who is being addressed?
A: The lesson 'To Sir, with Love' written by E.R. Braithwaite. The lesson is an extract from his autobiographical novel. The author presents his initial challenges and experience as a teacher new to profession. The author promises that he will make his teaching interesting and doubtless. He reminds that they are leaving school within six months. They have to reach for livelihood within a short period as adults. They will be treated as young men and women by him and by each other. So, he foretells that they have to maintain certain standards of conduct in future to get respect in society. The author is sincere efforts bring a change in students behaviour. He succeeds in building a relation with them and also getting their respect in return.

G. Venkatesh