What The Pupils Will Learn
- Education
was not compulsory at the time of Robert Burns.
- Education
had to be paid for.
- Religion
was very important to Burns' family.
- The Church imposed strict values on people.
Background
Information
a) Burns' father believed education to be very important.
b) He sent his sons to school and employed a private teacher in his own home.
c) The education system favoured boys.
d) The curriculum taught was very restricted - reading, writing and arithmetic.
e) Religion and education were closely linked.
Development
Pre-Visit
a) Make a class timetable for a typical week in school.
b) Discuss the range of subjects covered.
c) Construct a graph showing pupils favourite lessons and activities.
d) Compare these to the limited subjects taught in Burns' school life.
e) Survey pupils to establish how many are involved in attending Church/Sunday School.
f) Discuss the variety of Churches and faiths represented in school community.
The Visit
a) Locate Burns' family Bible in the Museum and look for the Bible in the Cottage.
b) Discuss print and script, and establish the importance of the Bible to families as a family record.
c) Find the display "The Kirk and Education".
d) Discuss the information presented.
e) If possible, walk to the Auld Kirk and examine gravestones.
f) Locate the grave of William Burnes and other family members.
Post Visit
a) Begin a class display of different Bibles and holy books from other faiths.
b) Choose one Bible story and compare the language used.
c) Involve pupils in writing their own version of the story and compare, focusing on the different usage of language and vocabulary.
d) Encourage the pupils to rote learn the books of the Bible as Burns would have done.
e) Use images, photographs etc of the Auld Kirk as a stimulus for art work, e.g. charcoal, pencil sketches.
f) Discuss the importance of good manners and courtesy during Burns' schooling. Consider school rules focusing on good behaviour. Devise a class list of rules encouraging good manners and co-operation.
g) Ask right-handed pupils to try writing with their left hand and vice-versa. Explain that pupils used to be forced into writing with their right hand whether this was natural for them or not.
h) Discuss the severe discipline regime that prevailed.
i) Practice traditional Scottish dances. Work in groups to create a dance to a piece of Scottish music. Organise a class ceilidh.
j) Learn a simple Burns song, explaining that at school Burns himself did not have a good ear.
Extension Work
a) Research to establish where Robert Burns learned his love of dancing.
b) Research to discover the methods of printing and making books in the 18th Century and compare with modern methods.
c) Discuss the importance of books.
d) Read "The Punnie" - The Kist (SCCC) Anthology p86-88
e) Drawing of a classroom 100 years from now.
Related Burns Work
"To
a Louse" (written after an incident in Church)
"A Man's a Man"