How to Do POV!

Point of View statements for the Document Based Question

Steps for students

1. Read/study the documents very carefully!

2. Answer this question: “Why was THIS person producing THIS piece of information at THIS time or in THIS manner?” ---use of SOAPStone or other analysis strategy

Other Hints

1. Identify unusual or loaded words or phrases in the text.

2. Consider alternative words that would carry the same meaning.

3. What are the differences between the alternative and original words (cultural, social)?

4. Ask why alternative word(s) was not used?

Practice Analyze the differing attitudes held by members of the Yorktown High School community toward pep rallies

Document 1: Karen Schepps, European History teacher at Yorktown HS “I don’t like pep rallies. I don’t like the pumping up of emotion and enthusiasm in people so that they cheer for only one special group. It reminds me of what happens in dictatorships- people cheer the leader and feel a part of the crowd and so the leader can manipulate people to do what he/she wants. School nationalism can divide the world into ‘them’ and ‘us’ like regular nationalism which has been such a destructive force in the world.”

Sample POV’s

1. As Karen Schepps is a European History teacher at Yorktown HS, she is well versed in human nature and as such argues in document #1 that pep rallies, where only one group is being celebrated, is analogous to historical situations where the celebrated person becomes too powerful and destructive to his/her own society, therefore, she does not like pep rallies.

Sample 2

As she is well versed in European History, Schepps, in document #1 uses historical references to dictatorships and nationalism to make her case against pep rallies in high schools.

Document 2

Betty Weyrich, Valedictorian of Yorktown High School, 2013.

“They’re [pep rallies] such a waste of time. I could be reading something in the library or listening to my music or going home instead of watching all the jocks parade and the cheerleaders falling over themselves.”

Sample POVs

“Document 2 was written by class valedictorian, Betty Weyrich who argues that pep rallies are a waste of time as she places the importance of grades and learning above social activities.”

Sample 2

As a valedictorian, (the student with the highest rank in her class), Betty Weyrich, the author of document #2, feels grades are important and as such resents time taken away from her studies, as she points out she “could be reading something in the library.”

Document #3

Jason Palumbo, Yorktown HS cross country team captain, 2003.

“Pep rallies are great. Some teams, like ours, never really get many fans cheering for us. To have the kids at school recognizing our accomplishments in such a public setting is rewarding.”

Sample POV

Tone: Jason Palumbo, the Yorktown HS’s cross country captain’s tone in document 3 is excited by the potential of receiving attention at the pep rally which he obviously craves as an athlete, as evidenced by his use of the phrase; “are great.” Purpose: Cross-country team captain Jason Palumbo’s purpose in document 3 may be to seek sympathy when he says, we “never really get many fans”, therefore he is in favor of pep rallies that emphasize sports teams not normally popular at his High School.

Document #4

Sarah Casey, Trombone player in the Yorktown HS pep band.

“Pep rallies are a major drag. Our teachers get annoyed that we have to be excused early to set up. No one wants to hear us play. Then we have to sit there until the end of the rally for the last song.”

Your turn: create a POV

#1: her opinion of pep rallies #2: her tone about pep rallies

No-No’s

1. Don’t just repeat information 2. Don’t add in a judgement about the source unless asked for in the prompt (he is unreliable or biased or stupid) Use the phrase--”The author’s perspective is influenced by…” instead.

3. Don’t assume that people from the same place, ethnicity, gender etc. have the same POV!!

4. Don’t list several documents whose authors share some characteristics and try to get POV points from all of them (Documents 3, 4, 5 are all from women who worked in factories and therefore…)