Job Discussion Forums

[valley_girl]

Here is my rant for the week.

I wish my students understood...

- that I have a life outside my job and I often can't correct their tests, assignments, and papers the same day I receive them.
- that when I say "Let's take a break", I'm part of the "us".
- that if they skip classes, don't complete their homework, and/or speak their first language much of the time, it is not *me* who failed them.
- that everyone acquires language at different rates and there's no guarantee that anyone will achieve a certain level by a certain time.
- that I am their teacher and although I like them well enough, I am not their friend (and therefore we will not be hanging out together after class).
- that my job is to teach them the skills to succeed in their language goals, *not* to pour English into a funnel at the top of their heads.

[ls650]

Hmm. What brought this on - teaching in general, or a particular incident?
Maybe it's just Mexico, but I find my students are pretty likable and don't give me the same list of problems.

[denise]

I really really really like my students right now, but for some of them there is one thing:

That I have a name!!!

d

[Cdaniels]

I assume you're working with adults or young adults, valley_girl?

What disappoints me is when a student understands these issues, but just doesn't care. The sense of entitlement of some students can be difficult.

[valley_girl]

I teach young adults and it wasn't any particular incident that inspired my post. It is just at that point in the semester when some students are starting to realize that they might not pass. From the time I enter the classroom until the time I leave, I am overrun with students wanting to ask me about assignments or marks or what I think about their chances of passing or something not even related to their studies at all. Going to the bathroom seems to be the only break I get these days.

Don't get me wrong. My students are for the most part a joy to teach. They are highly motivated and dedicated (with a few exceptions, of course). It's just that they don't seem to understand that I actually have a life and that teaching them is only one part of it.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Those same students will also suddenly really, REALLY want to have conversation partners (in reality tutors) who will make them bilingual in two weeks (although they've sat around doing a whole lot of nothing for most of the term and they could easily have had a conversation partner throughout the year who would have constantly helped them).

[ntropy]

1) that languages aren't math. They are full of ambiguity and to be successful, you must learn to be comfortable, or even embrace, the ambiguity

2) that learning a language is the single most complex skill most of us will ever learn. And that means it takes time. You don't get to be Joseph Conrad in a fortnight.

[dmb]

I started a new 1-1 last week and in the first lesson she asked me "What is your real job"

[sallycat]

what did you answer?

[dmb]

[guangho]

There is more than one way to do things.
Your chances increase exponentially if you show up.
On time.
With books.
And pens.
And paper.
That "conversation" by itself, for forty-five minutes a week, won't cut it.
That you need a goal beyond "conversation", lest we have the following, ahem, conversation:

Guangho: "What would you like to talk about?"
Pretty/disinterested female student: "Stuff, like, you know, hello, goodbye, hi."

[khmerhit]

Vgirl illustrated:

[Cdaniels]

[sallycat]

my studnets don't understand that "can you use chopsticks?" is a really fucking dumb question.

my current answer is "no, and after six years in japan i'm really quite hungry".

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

Things we wish our students understood ...

... that to fly a plane you need to do more than just sit in the cockpit ... that's c.o.c.k.p.i.t.

Of course, all of my students are Red Barons ...