Author’s note: My poem “I Wonder?” is not written specifically about a boy or a girl, this can be left up to your imagination or based on your school experience. In the questions below alternate questions are phrased using he/she/him/her to allow for gender differences. Answer the questions in the form you are most comfortable with.
Please complete the questions below. The questions in “bold print” are to be completed orally at home in the presence of an adult. All other questions are to be done using full sentences in your English copy.
1. What can the pupil not understand?
2. What sort of a day did he have in school yesterday?
3. In what way was she part of the bunch?
4. What is meant by the phrase a “cool reception”?
5. Have you ever had (or seen anybody receive) a “cool reception”? Describe it in not more than three lines.
6. What proof does Patrick give to show she was a good student?
7. How is it shown in the poem that the pupil was subjected to bullying over a few weeks?
8. Why do you think, the child found her pen in the bin?
9. What was the meaning of the pupil’s friend grinning?
10. Do you think these incidents were pre-planned or accidental?
11. Was the pupil right to tell his parents / guardians?
12. How did the parents / guardians react when told of their child’s problems?
13. Why is the pupil afraid to tell the teacher or the Head Teacher?
14. Why do you think children pick on others for how they look?
15. Why might pupils mock another child’s school work or home work?
16. Refer to the poem to show how the constant bullying make the pupil feel?
17. Why do you think, the other pupils constantly change the way they behave towards the victim?
18. How does the pupil want to react to all the bullying?
19. Why does the pupil not retaliate for the hurt she feels?
20. What does the phrase “holding my tongue” mean?
21. Why do you think is the pupil sick in the mornings?
22. What change does the victim hope will come over the bullies in the near future?
23. Why might imagining it was your son or daughter being bullied, affect the way the bullies behave?
24. Do you think either of these changes might happen to the bullies? Why? / Why not? 25. What might make the bullies think that their actions are not fun or part of a game?
26. Is this poem true to life? 27. What things in the poem are realistic and happen in schools today?
28. What parts of the poem do you think are not likely to happen in school?
29. Of the types of bullying mentioned in the poem what type of bullying would you find the most hurtful and why?
30. Are there any clues in the poem to tell you if the poet understands (or doesn’t) what happens in schools?
Use your dictionary or ask at home what the following words / phrases mean:
a. to gloat b. to glare at someone c. isolate d. cynical e. to belittle someone f. to snub someone g. a lout h. to lash out i. down at heel j. sly comments
As part of this school’s on going Anti-Bullying Education your child is required to complete the questions in bold print orally to you as part of their homework. This poem has been read and discussed at length in school. It would be appreciated if you could sign this sheet when your child has completed the oral answers to your satisfaction.
Signed _________________________________ Date: ____________________
Parent / Guardian