Class 6th. Winter Oak

 Winter Oak

Summary

Anna Vasilyevna is teaching her students in Form 5 about nouns. She is a gifted teacher and is proud of her skill. When the students are asked to give examples, the class rings out with voices that name various objects that are familiar to them. Anna Vasilyevna is very pleased but her delight turns to irritation when she hears one lone voice cry out, "winter oak". This voice belongs to Savushkin, a little boy who is always late. Anna Vasilyevna scolds him for coming late and asks him for a reason for his lack of punctuality. He replies that he walks through the woods. Anna Vasilyevna is convinced that he is lying and insists on meeting his mother.

That afternoon, as Savushkin takes her through the woods, she is overcome by nature's beauty. Then, Savushkin takes her to the tree that inspired his answer. As she gazes upon the grand oak she realises that there is so much about the world that remains a mystery to her. She also understands the importance of the joy of discovering new things. She thus learns to see Savushkin in a new light.

This story reverses the role of teacher and student to make us reconsider what it means to learn new things. The rich, descriptive language enables us to soak in the beauty of the forest and the oak, thus filling us with the same sense of wonder as the characters and allowing us to come away with a renewed view of the world around us.

Understanding the Text

1. Anna Vasilyevna swapped lessons with the geography teacher because the latter found it difficult to cope with the noise, the inattentive pupils and Savushkin's lack of punctuality, so early in the morning.


2. Anna Vasilyevna felt that Savushkin was a difficult boy because no matter how hard she tried, she could not get him to tell her what she believed to be the truth.


3. While the others in the classroom named ordinary things such as wheel, tractor, cat and well, Savushkin's choice of noun was 'Winter Oak. His example was different because not only was it unique but it specifically described the oak tree in winter. Thus, from his choice of example, we
understand Savushkin considers the winter oak to be important enough to recollect in a lesson. This shows us that he has a deep connection with nature.


4. Anna Vasilyevna was sure that Savushkin was lying about coming late because she knew that his house was closer to school than that of some other students who were on time. To her mind, the only reason Savushkin could have been delayed was because he stopped to play and thus lost track of time.
She refused to even consider the idea that the child may be walking through the woods; she didn't understand why he would want to do so and thus, concluded that he must be  lying. In order to show him that she was right, she decided that she must meet his mother and told Savushkin to take her along the path that he took.


5. The oak tree helps Savushkin establish a connection with nature. Through the tree, Savushkin is able to observe and understand birds, animals and other creatures that come together in the delicate web of life. Savushkin's love for the tree tells us that he has a deep appreciation for nature
and enjoys spending time in its midst.Thus, the tree helps him by instilling sensitivity towards all living creatures in him and is therefore, important to him.


6. a. The walk in the woods helped Anna Vasilyevna change the way she thought about herself in ways. She realised that  there was so much that she didn't know and was humbled many by this. She understood how her rigid ideas of learning and education stopped her from enjoying the feeling of learning new things. Most importantly, she learned that she would be a good teacher only when she was able to find joy in learning.

6. b. . The walk in the woods changed Anna Vasilyevna's perception about Savushkin. She realised that the child was wise beyond his years. She now was able to appreciate the child's compassion for living things and his sensitivity to the world around him-this helped her understand his transformation from a young schoolboy to a 'little man'. It was these qualities that made her view him as a 'citizen of the future' who could be counted on to make a difference to the world.



B.

1. Anna Vasilyevna's idea of a well-begun day appears to be one where she teaches the lesson to her students who grasp it quickly. She also expects to be able to take charge of her class, command her students' respect and have them obey her. However, this particular day seemed spoilt because Savushkin had come in late, thus disrupting her plan for the class.


2. Write this Answer in your own words.


3. The path that Anna Vasilyevna has just discovered is the idea of enjoying the process of discovering something and learning more about it. This path is special because it delights the learner while also teaching them, thus making sure that they will cherish the lesson all their lives. This path also teaches the learner that the process of learning is not at all difficult and can in fact, bring people the teacher and the learner-immense joy and satisfaction. This path could lead the learner to a treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge that will guide them all their lives.