QCE 501 (Aug 2011 semester)Assignment 2

TEACHING READING AT THE UPPER PRIMARY LEVEL

1 The textBorn in 1821, Elizabeth Blackwell, was the third daughter of the Blackwell household, and even from babyhood she had had the reputation for being stubborn and determined. She had to do everything for herself and she had to do it perfectly. When she was quite small she wouldn’t let anyone help her with her boot laces or the buttons on her frocks. And in the schoolroom, even the governess would get tired of watching her, sometimes, her head bent over the slate, her lips thrust out, her forehead all screwed up with the effort of making her letters exactly like those in the copybook.Her aunts often complained to Mr. Blackwell, that Elizabeth was very unfeminine, showed very little interest in sewing, and none at all in embroidery and knowing, all accomplishments that they felt every lady should cultivate. Mr. Blackwell was inclined, always, to take Elizabeth’s side. “Let her grow up to do what she wants. “I’m certain,” he said, “that she’s not wasting her time.” There were no professions open to women, true enough, he said, then it was all the more reason for educating his daughters. And he would conclude, “they will have to make their own opportunities!”An incident occurred during the summer, which was upsetting to Elizabeth, but which at the same time seemed to offer a huge suggestion. It was her habit to visit with a friend of her mother’s, who was sick with a malignant disease, and knew she was dying.“I have often wondered,” said the sick woman, “why women, who are always preoccupied with the care of the sick, are not allowed to become physicians?”The next time Elizabeth came, the sick woman again spoke about this same subject. “Why don’t you undertake the study of medicine?” she said. Elizabeth, who was surprised at this odd proposal, replied almost indignantly that she hated everything connected with the body, and could not bear the sight of a medical book. The suggestion fascinated Elizabeth, even though it also repelled her. No woman had ever been admitted to a medical school. In fact, as far as Elizabeth knew, no woman had ever made the attempt to gain admittance. She could not seem to dismiss from her mind the possibility of becoming a doctor. The very difficulties challenged her. Where to go and how to get there? With whom to begin and what to do first? She had no money, but she was by no means discouraged. She turned again to teaching, a work she disliked, but if she was to make the money for her education, it must be done quickly. But the routine of teaching was not so dull for Elizabeth now, because as soon as the little girls were gone from the schoolroom, she shut herself up with medical books that Reverend Dickson had lent her, and studied so hard that this gentleman was amazed at her progress. In 1847, Elizabeth sailed from Charleston to Philadelphia where she would meet Dr. Samuel Jackson, famous chairman of the Institutes at the University, and one of the oldest professors in Philadelphia. “I want to study medicine,” she said. “I want to become a physician.”The doctor put down his paper. “There has never been a woman student in our school,” he said, “nor at any other institution of medical instruction in the States. In fact,” he went on, “I know of no country, madam, in which such a request was made or granted.”At this Elizabeth felt forced to protest and affirmed, “I want to become a physician, to learn the ills of the body and to attend to women who need me!”From Harvard, Bowdoin and Yale, she had already had refusals. From several of the smaller schools to which she had written early that summer, there were still no answers. Only one Lee Puay Joo, ChristineQCE501 Assignment 2TG08 - Mrs. Selvi Peters

school, a small unimportant school, tucked away in the upper reaches of New York State was left to be heard from. On the twenty-seventh of October the letter came. It was an acceptance letter that sent Elizabeth travelling all night, from Philadelphia to Geneva Medical College.At 5am in the morning, Elizabeth would be awake, copying out notes and studying for the monthly quiz. More than two hundred bones to memorize, four hundred muscles, besides nerves, blood vessels and glands. How could she memorize it all? Walking to and from school she repeated the Latin names, and hardly noticed that passers-by no longer went to such pains to avoid her. Not long after, Elizabeth was admitted to Blockley Almshouse as a resident, where her period of service as a physician was to be four months. Where the worst criminals were, the very scum of the earth, Blockley was no place for any woman well brought up and well trained to be exposed to such an atmosphere. But what only mattered to the brave Elizabeth was that they were ill, and working at Blockley, would enable her to gain the experience to help them. Often Elizabeth had the impulse to get up, go into the children’s ward, and comfort a sick child. To some of the children she had brought sugarplums and cookies that her mother sent her. But what could she do with one box when there were a hundred sick semi-starved children who needed caring for!Indeed, she was harnessed from night until morning, dispensing orders incessantly, giving out clothing, calling for linens, accounting for supplies, ordering unruly paupers to the bath…The dreadful summer disease which every year ravaged Philadelphia’s poor, and which was brought in usually by the immigrant ships coming from Ireland had come. From her mother, who had read about the epidemic, Elizabeth got an anxious letter, inferring she would be happy to know that her daughter was in safer surroundings.Selfless as she was, it did not occur to Elizabeth for one moment that she could be taken ill. “I haven’t the time for it,” she said when she heard that one of the younger residents had taken sick and was dying. With the return to school in the autumn, all were eager to hear about the typhus epidemic and about Elizabeth’s experiences at Blockley. And for the first time in the history of medical education a woman had been allowed to study at a medical school. But could Geneva College go still further? Could they with propriety give a diploma to a member of the female sex?These were no longer battling questions. Elizabeth passed every course, each and every one with honors! Miss Blackwell would receive her diploma with all the other members of the graduating class. On the 1849 roster of students her name was at last posted as a graduate! Despite the odds, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman doctor, and by pursuing her own dream, she gave other women the chance to become doctors.

Adapted fromThe First Woman Doctor

ByRachel Baker

Lee Puay Joo, ChristineQCE501 Assignment 2TG08 - Mrs. Selvi Peters

Teacher talk to illustrate the teaching of contextual cue(s):

Line #: 7-9 (Paragraph 2)Teacher talk:

Teacher directs pupils to look at the word “unfeminine” in Line 1, Paragraph 2. What do you think ‘unfeminine’ means?Focus on Paragraph 2, can you find any clues in this paragraph that could help you to decipher the meaning of this word? Can you tell me what the speech word is? (adjective)What is the root word? (feminine)Hmm, can you find any clues in the Paragraph that explains why Elizabeth Blackwell was not very feminine? Were there things that ladies of her time would typically take interest in? (sewing, embroidery)Was Elizabeth Blackwell interested in doing those things that ladies of her time should do?If Elizabeth did not behave like the other ladies, what can you infer about the meaning of the word ‘unfeminine’?

Lee Puay Joo, ChristineQCE501 Assignment 2TG08 - Mrs. Selvi Peters

Name: _____________________________________ Date: ________________________________Class: Primary 5 __________________________

There are events in Elizabeth Blackwell’s life that showed how extraordinary a person she was. Below are some extraordinary traits which have been identified. Support these traits with evidence from the events that took place in her life. The first one has already been done for you.

Lee Puay Joo, ChristineQCE501 Assignment 2TG08 - Mrs. Selvi Peters

Despite refusals from many medical schools, Elizabeth continued to apply forother medical schools until she eventually found one that was willing to accept her.

Determined

Selfless

Hardworking

Compassionate

Brave

Elizabeth Blackwell,the first woman doctor

Reference

Baker, R. (1961). The First Woman Doctor. Scholastic Inc.

Lee Puay Joo, ChristineQCE501 Assignment 2TG08 - Mrs. Selvi Peters

Appendix A – Answer SheetThere are events in Elizabeth Blackwell’s life that showed how extraordinary a person she was. Below are some extraordinary traits which have been identified. Support these traits with evidence from the events that took place in her life. The first one has already been done for you.

Lee Puay Joo, ChristineQCE501 Assignment 2TG08 - Mrs. Selvi Peters

Despite refusals from many medical schools, Elizabeth continued to apply forother medical schools until she eventually found one that was willing to accept her.

Determined

In the wee hours of the morning, Elizabeth would be awake, copying out notes, and studying for her quiz. She would memorize dilligently all parts of the human anatomy.

Hardworking

Despite the typhus epidemic, she stayed onin the almshouse to care for the sick anddying and it did not occur to her for amoment that she could be taken ill.

Selfless

Often Elizabeth would get up, go into the children’s ward and comfort a sick child. Shewould give some of the children cookies andsugarplums that her mother sent her.

Compassionate

Elizabeth did not mind that Blockley was theplace where the worst criminals were, it onlymattered to her that working there would give her the experience to help them.

Brave

Elizabeth Blackwell,the first woman doctor