Job Discussion Forums

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Sorry boys... do try not to let your insecurities be too obvious to all.

If you don't like my posts, feel free to ignore them...

VS

omanized · Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 152

Hey Aliskander, maybe 10 years too long eh?

So students taking time off during probably the most important religious holiday of the year is a sign of laziness? And SJ's quote about the attitude of cooperation being commendable has more meaning than simply your knee-jerk reaction to the quote itself.

I don't see anyone here saying that cheating is good or a progressive educational method, just that we might learn a thing or two about relaxing our hyper-competitive, kill-or-be-killed attitude to life. Maybe family is more important than a week of studying ? Imagine that !

What DO you know about Oman after 10 years? That they are lazy, devious and have no future. Great, I would love to have a coffee with you in the staffroom...

omanized

Aliskander · Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 50

Oh wow! So having a holiday is SOOO much better than studying, because we all know that sitting at home will get you a future job, home, car etc etc, whilst studying achieves nothing.
Isn't it interesting that the same students who did not study are now the ones complaining and feeling sorry for themselves as they have not progressed like some of their more studious colleagues. No one is saying that students should not have an Eid holiday - what we are saying is that if you take extra time off, you lose out on your study time and this affects your future. The reality is proven in their results.

As for what i know about Oman after 10 years - an awful lot more than you it would seem. I have a completely clear and open mind about the students here - i also have one of the highest success rates and an impeccable work record, with any company i have ever worked for always asking me to return. Not because i let students cheat and take time off, but because i do discipline them and penalise them. It is a long and hard battle, but the students do finally see that what i do is for their benefit - not for fun. I have a large group of very close and dear Omani friends - about 60% of whom are old students. Many students have been sent to me to study by their fathers, brothers, sisters etc who studied with me themselves - and who know and like how i work.

It always amuses me that a question is asked (as this one: Anyone have anything bad to say about Oman?) and when someone answers it in an honest and open manner, they are then condemned as being negative and bad! If you had actually bothered to read anything that i wrote i also said that i had loads of good things to say about Oman and the Omani people. I have been here a long time and will be here for an even longer time - if (as you interpreted) it was all bad, would i not find a way to leave? Why can we paint the honest truth about other countries and their systems (as VS pointed out with regards to exam writing / testing) and everyone goes 'ok, that is true', or'yes, that happens', but the minute we paint the truth about Oman and the Omanis, everyone gets angry?

I was taught that honesty is the best policy - is that wrong?

omanized · Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 152

Ok, fair enough...you are right, after 10 years, your clear and open mind has come to these conclusions, or am I reading this wrong, teacher ?

Things to be aware of of locals:
Honest - no.
Sly and devious - yes.
Calculating - yes.
Lazy - yes.

What a horrific attitude you have for a teacher. Whoops, sorry, didn't mean to steal your line.

Actually, don't really disagree with some of what has been said about students here, it's just that you appear to have a pompous and self-righteous attitude about it. Things wrong in Oman ? Yes, I believe there is an example of something right here.

Why don't you repeat your 'small comments' to your dear old Omani friends? I'm sure they would respect your honesty and clarity about their slow mental progression.

omanized

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

bje · Joined: 19 Jun 2005 Posts: 527

I agree Omanised. It's interesting to observe those who consider themselves 'old Gulf hands' come completely unstuck...

VS got out with her sanity and good sense intact, and, thankfully, is a great resource. Aliskander is there, mired in his/her? bitterness, taking potshots, publically undermining him/herself, with his/her retrograde approach to the issue of 'assessment'.

'Longer is not necessarily better', as is evidenced by these latest posts from Aliskander. It never hurts to look oneself squarely in the face (presumably in the mirror), and say "enough is enough; let's go back home before I really lose it..."