10Hestia is a class in Townley Grammar School, dare I say the best class, and is known for being quite a quiet form. Well take a guess at what this article is about, you will be peering into the lives and opinions of one of the greatest classes!
In form time at the start of the day, I went around reviewing fellow classmates’ views on different subjects that they take and very interesting feedback was received. The majority of the students disliked English, especially the subject English language. They said that they had no idea what the point of the subject was and that it was a boring subject.
‘English makes me doze off for some reason. Every time I go into an English lesson my eyes start to droop’ - Favour 10Hestia
Many students found the subject puzzling, questioning its relevance and expressed how boring it was, as shown in the quote above. When questioning the majority whose worst subject was English again, the reoccurring sentiment was that they had failed to grasp the importance of the whole subject, leaving them alienated and disinterested.
This feedback provided an opportunity to investigate the interactions between students and the English language programme. Is it possible to bridge the gap between the conventional method and student engagement? How can teachers make the English content more interesting for students to actually care about? These questions linger in the air, encouraging a closer look at the English language curriculum within the framework of 10Hestia.
While the English language may be one of ‘’the worst subjects known to man”, 10Hestia still remains a diverse class with different perspectives on other subjects.
When analyzing the students' preferences for subjects, it became clearly evident that the reasons behind their choices varied widely. Among those who favoured history, it was frequently mentioned that they had a fascination with the content they were learning in classrooms. However, they did not like the tests quite as much, which is understandable because most 10hestians don’t! Many students expressed appreciation for the engaging way their history teacher taught in lessons, making the subject engrossing with vivid narratives and interactive discussions.
Physical education, selected by 14% of the students as their best subject, was often chosen for how active and practical it was. Students who preferred PE highlighted the importance of staying active and enjoying the thrill of sports and physical activities. For them, the PE classes provided a refreshing break from traditional classroom learning, as well as giving them time to mostly goof around in lessons.
The 28 students surveyed demonstrated that while a significant percentage, 79%, favoured optional subjects, there is room for improvement in adjusting mandatory coursework to better align with individual interests. This article helps to open up opportunities for teachers and mentors to explore new and improved teaching methods that captivate students' attention and foster a genuine love for learning not only optional subjects but fundamental lessons as well
