If you have any questions about something English related then here is the place to get your answer!
Any question you ask will firstly go directly to a teacher for them to read. They will then answer your question and the reply will appear on this page beneath your original question. This means that other pupils will see your answer and it may help them as well.
If your question is private, or if you are a parent who is seeking some advice or information, then please mention this in your message and your question and reply will NOT be published and you will receive your answer privately via e-mail.
NOTE FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS: If your query is of a particularly sensitive nature, or you wish an immediate response, then please contact the school directly using the school telephone number.
Example question:
” How do I join the Roald Dahl Club?”
Example Reply:
“The Roald Dahl Club is run by the librarian, Miss McGough. Pop into the library when you next have a chance and ask about becoming a member. Enjoy!”
What was your favourite book when you were younger?
Oh this is a tough one! I’m sure that we all have a different favourite book, but my particular favourite would have to be ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Every child’s dream is surely to find a whole new magical world?
I also loved the ‘Harry Potter’ books – even if I was already an adult by then!
What is the longest book you have read?
I’m not sure…. You have to read some very very long books when you are at University and studying to become an English teacher! I think it was possibly a book by James Joyce called ‘Ulysses’. I didn’t really enjoy it so it made it seem even longer!
Why not ask your own teachers and see what they say?
If you could only take one if these books to a desert island what would it be?
Harry Potter
Twilight
Hunger Games
‘Harry Potter’ without a shadow of a doubt! Great reading and just perfect fun. I love all of the imaginary words that J.K Rowling makes up within the story too.
what is your fav book
Craig,
As I’m sure you can imagine, being English teachers, we like so many different kinds of books that it is often hard to pick a favourite. The next time you have a library period, why not take the chance to ask your teacher which book they would choose from the library?
Dear Mrs Grassam,
Do you get English Homework?
From Gregor and Liam
Yes you do. Different classes will get homewrok at different times, because it will depend on what you have been working on in class. Sometimes your homework may be to finish something off that you started during the day in class, while other times you may be given an exercise worksheet to complete and hand in.
Make sure that you keep a note of all of your homework in your homework diary and always hand it in to the teacher on time.
Do you get English five times a week every year (S1-S6)?
Raina,
No. In S2 you will start to have English only 4 times a week and this is the same for S3 and S4. As you move into the senior school you will also have double periods of English.
do you get english less when u go into second year?
Yes, only 4 times a week. Have a look at some of the other answers above as this question has been asked by a few different pupils.
Dear Mrs Grassam,
When are we moving class into the highest, middle and lowest because we are moving some time this week in maths
Brooke and Abby,
Unlike in Maths, you will stay in the same English class for the whole of S1. When your timetable changes at the end of the year you will move into your S2 English class. This class will be chosen based upon how well you have coped with your English work so far and also to place you with people who are of a similar ability.
Dear Mrs Grassam
You are a WONDERFUL teacher. I love the way you teach me and ‘Paper Tigers’ is a GREAT play. I loved the book ‘Room 13’ too. It was FANTASTIC! I loved it and would love to read it again…. I WONDER what will be next ???
Why do we have English 5 times a day ?
English, just like Maths, is a very important subject because you use some of the same skills across all the different subjects in the school. Every time you have to write something down in a jotter you are using English, so it is important that you get enough time to practise your English skills. That’s why in S1 you get 5 periods of English a week. This will start to change as you move through the school; in S2 you will only have 4 English periods and again in S3 and S4.
dear miss mcaloon,
During library period instead of reading a book out of the library are you allowed to read one of your own books that you bring in from home.
Yes of course you can! Reading is a great thing to do and it doesn’t matter whether your book is from a library or from home, it is just important that you enjoy it!
We know it’s an english website but would it be possible if you could have a variety of different teachers and subjects e.g: math,music,art ect
This will hopefully be happening very soon as the school is thinking about creating its very own website. This would have information from all different departments, as well as giving you and your parents the latest news here at CVHS.
Watch this space!
We love English with Miss McAloon. She is funny and the way that she does the tasks with us is great because we find it easier to do it . By sylvia
I think English is good because the teacher is great with us.
was mrs Douglas a moderen languages teacher:Ben Fisher
Ben,
Yes it is true! Here in the English department we are all very talented. Miss Douglas is also a French teacher and used to teach here in the Modern Languages department at CVHS. Mr Douglas is also a Media Studies teacher, Miss McAloon teaches drama and Mrs Cimmino can teach Maths and speak Italian.
dear miss mc aloon do we get sorted into our s2 classes by tests or just general work ?
Taylor and Ross,
While your teacher may decide to give you class tests to check how much you have learned, they will always look at all of your work before deciding which class would be best for you in S2. They will look at how well you have coped with the work in class, how you have dealt with any homework you may have had and also how well you behave and follow instructions. Try not to worry too much about this – as long as you are doing everything that you are supposed to, there won’t be any problems.
Dear Miss Douglas
You’re a great teacher and hopefully we will get you from first year to sixth year. We love having you as a teacher and we have good laughs in class.
Dear Miss Douglas
When will we get moved into different classes and will we need to get a test or does it just depend on how good you can read , write and spell ?????
Emily,
Have a look at some of the other questions up above as others have asked the same question. You don’t change classes until the end of S1 and start of S2. All of your work will be taken into consideration, as well as your effort and behaviour over the year.
dear mr douglas , can you take fact books out of the library?
This shouldn’t be a problem if there is a particular book from the non-fiction section that you are interested in. Always check with Miss McGough first, however, as some of the more expensive books may be restricted to library use only.
hey mrs Cimmino
why do we need to get english homework?xx
Homework is important in all subjects because it gives you a chance to practise the skills you have learned in class. If we never gave homework there simply wouldn’t be enough time for everybody to learn all of things that they need to!
Even teachers have homework to do, believe it or not!
Dear Mrs Cimmino
when did u start clyde valley high as a teacher.From Leo Calderon
Leo,
I started teaching in the English department in 2008, so this is my fourth year teaching here. Mr Lanagan, Mr Douglas and Miss McConachie have all been here longer than I have, but Miss Douglas has been here for the same length of time. Even if she started off in French!
we love english 😀
from sophie & yazzmin 🙂 xxx
Will we be getting an English test soon? When will it be if we are?
Unlike other subjects, there isn’t a set English test for you to sit. Your teacher may decide to give you a class test on a parrticular topic or skill, but they’ll give you lots of notice and it won’t be anything too serious that you need to worry about.
DEAR Mrs Cimmino
I loved ‘The Witches’. It was great. What novel are we doing next? Dylan Tomney and Declan Donnelly
I’m glad that you enjoyed the novel so much – Roald Dahl is a fantastic author! We won’t be looking at another novel straight away in class, but we will try some different things first and perhaps even study a film too.
Dear Miss Daly
Do we still get the same teacher every year?
When you move into S2 you will find yourself in a new class with pupils from all of the different first year classes. For some, this means that they will have a whole new teacher too, but others may end up with the same teacher as S1.
We love English with Miss Daly because she lets us use glitter for colouring in our fairytale castles and princesses. It’s so fun !!
We both love writing fairytales and can’t wait to hear our friends read them out in class !
Miss McGough,
Do we still get library periods in S2?
Yes, you do, but only every second week.
How hard is higher English???????
Higher English is hard work and needs you to be very dedicated in English and complete all the tasks that your teacher asks. That’s why you don’t sit higher English until you reach at least S5. Don’t worry though, lots of pupils have taken Higher English and have done very very well. There’s plenty time!
how much homework do we get in s2?
It will depend on which class you are in, who your teacher is and what type of work you are studying in class at different times of the year. You will get homework of some kind during S2, although it may not be regular weekly homework like many other subjects give out. Sometimes you may be asked to finish work at home that you were doing in class, you may be told to redraft an essay as homework or you could be given a specific worksheet to complete. English work covers so many different things that it is hard to say WHAT the homework will be in advance, but you WILL get homework.
What is your favourite book?
All the teachers have a different favourite book. Take a look at the “Your Teachers” section to see what we have all said.
Will we ever get a chance to write our own books and things like that? xx 😀
Yes!
Creative writing is a very big part of English and, while you may not have time to write a full novel in class, you will be encouraged to write short stories, opening chapters to books or even your own poems.
What books do you you like better, fact or fiction?
Definitely fiction for me! I love getting lost in the story of a good fiction book.
Mrs Cimmino,
How often is there an entry in the school e-Magazine?
The school e-Magazine is brand new and is still a work-in-progress. We hope to write an entry once a month with an update of all the news and information that has happened around the school. Hopefully we can make it a real success and continue on with it for years to come!
how do you choose a good book?
Miss McGough would be the best person to ask! Being a librarian she knows all about the different types of books, new and old, and which ones are similar to others. She is the best resource that we have. If you want help to find a good book then she is the lady to ask!
How long have you been teaching English at Clyde Valley.
There is quite a variety of experience here in the English department. Mrs Neilson is the longest serving member and then it would be Mr Lanagan. Mrs Cimmino, Miss Douglas and Miss McConnachie have been here for about 4 years, while Mrs Smith has been here fore 3. Miss Daly, Mr MacKay and Mr Purvis are newbies! are more recent
Mrs Cimmino,
Are you aloud to come up to the library at lunch to do a project ? 🙂
The library does have a homework club which is run by Miss McGough. If you wanted to work on a project or do some research using the library books/computers, then that shouldn’t be a problem. Just ask Miss McGough and she’ll tell you more.
Mr Cimmino,
the e-mag is looking great. Lots of interesting information and lovely photos. Well done to you and your team!
Will we ever get to write books? 🙂
Possibly not an entire novel as that would take a long time! However, we certainly do creative writing in English and, at some point in the year, you will have the chance to write your own immaginative story or poem.
Have you ever studied anything other than english?
Yes! Mrs Cimmino is also a qualified Maths teacher and Miss Douglas can also teach French! We are all multi-talented here in English. Even Mrs Smith can teach Drama too!
When you were at school did you like to read and what books ? xxx
I have always loved reading ever since I was little. I remember reading a book by the author Enid Blyton called ‘The Secret Seven’ and I finished it in one day! My favourite genre of book is crime. I have great fun trying to figure out the mystery before I get to the end of the book.
How could I join E-mag?
Anyone can join the e-Mag group. All you have to do is come along! We meet on Tuesday lunchtimes in my room, 1T12, at 1:20pm. Hope you can make it. Everyone is welcome!
how long have you been teaching English at Clyde Valley High?
This is my fifth year. Mr Lanagan, Mrs Neilson and Miss McConnachie have all been here longer than me. However, Miss Douglas started in the same year as me, but she was teaching in French to start with.
Mrs Cimmino, Did you ever get in trouble with the head teacher or a class teacher?
No. I was a good girl in school and really liked all my classes and teachers.
What is your favourite subject apart from English?
As I am also a qualified Mathematician, I would have to say Maths! As my old teacher used to say “there is nothing more satisfying than correctly completing a difficult Maths problem”. He was right!
Have you ever had a shot at any extreme sport before like skydiving?
Never! I’m a bit of big scaredy-cat when it comes to these type of things. I have done a bit of abseiling before, but that was about as extreme as it gets for me.
What inspired you to become a teacher ?
I’m really not sure! I just knew I always wanted to be one! Probably because I really enjoyed school and I had many great teachers myself. I liked the idea of being able to share my knowledge and ideas with others and helping other people. Plus, I like working with children and teaching is a very rewarding job.
Did you want to be a teacher when you were younger Miss Cimmino ???
Yes! I love being a teacher and it is definitely my ideal job. Teaching isn’t easy and might not be the right type of job for everyone, but I get a real sense of satisfaction from it and can’t imagine doing anything else!
Do you ever suss out the ending of a book when you just start reading it?
Maybe not straight away, but sometimes you can guess what the story will be about very quickly. Some books even start with the ending and work backwards! Doesn’t mean that they aren’t still good fun books though.
What is your hidden talent Mrs Cimmino? by David
I also like the Harry Potter filims. by Jack
My talent isn’t exactly hidden, but I can speak Italian fluently.
What inspired your ‘Super Powers’ ?
After listening to noisy teenagers in school all day long, I also have two children at home who are just babies and they, too, make lots and lots of noise. So, I would love to be able to just look at someone and make them fall silent, then I could get some peace and quiet!
What is your favourite music ?
Again, everyone is different so I’m sure that we will all have a different favourite type of music. Look out for us in the X-Factor event during charities week and you’ll maybe get an idea!