Job Discussion Forums

[moonraven]

I am passionate about everything! The day I stop living my life with passion I will put my head in the oven....

As for taking "cheap shots" and "insulting" you--when you correct the grammatical errors of your students, do you consider that taking sheap shots at them or insulting them? That's what I did for you--and you couldn't even be bothered to thanks me! Think about it.

I am sorry if I hurt your feelings, but you remind me of way too many "native speakers" who believed that I should hire them as teachers just because they spoke English--when their spoken English was well below the level of the Mexican teachers whom I had hired and trained.

Making two very basic grammatical errors in the short post you wrote indicates that you need to brush up on the language you are teaching--or trying to teach. When you have more confidence in your ability to manage the language, you will project that confidence to your students, and--hopefully--instill the same confidence in them!

Good luck!

[Cardinal Synn]

[moonraven]

I was correcting him--hoping that he would get the point that one of the reasons he is struggling as an ESL teacher is because his English language skills are marginal.

A word to the wise was apparently not received in a wise manner.

[distiller]

Perhaps if the words were wise or offered by a wise person they would be accepted wisely.

[moonraven]

I see, distiller: it's wise not to be corrected. In that case his students will have an anarchist's heyday, and won't learn squat.

Again, you make petty, vicious comments but you have nothing to say about the topic of the thread. Typical.

[distiller]

What's wise is to not take some overlooked grammar on an internet forum and apply it wholesale to a teacher. You are highly abusive here but that doesn't mean you are abusive as a teacher, does it?

I address the issues raised in the thread. If it does not match the title of the thread then I harldy see how that is my fault.

Perhaps you've forgotten that just a few mintues ago you agreed with statements I made on the stated topic on another thread. Selective memory is dangerous, moony.

[moonraven]

It was the first time I have ever agreed with you, distiller, and I mentioned that on the other thread, so I wouldn't get too cocky if I were you. And just how is that even relevant to your hateful accusations in regard to me?

Your logic is off. Even if I agree that I AM abusive on this thread--which I do NOT, and I accept that that doesn't imply abuse in the classroom, the case is entirely different.

He writes a short post with two major grammar errors. I believe that logically DOES imply that he will make grammatical mistakes in the classroom. In fact, I think it's a guaranteed situation, as on this forum he theoretically has sense enough to write BETTER or pay more attention to his grammatical usage because his audience is one of English teachers--while in the classroom he has an audience whose English is more than likely inferior in level to his and therefore would be far less likely to correct his mistakes!

[distiller]

Actually what you said was that you agreed for a change, not that it was the first time. And I don't think it was the first time either. Once again selective memory issues.

So, I want to see if I understand you. What you are saying is that someone is going to be more careful in an anonymous chat room on the internet than in their own classroom standing face to face with students doing a job which provides primary income in which one would assume other teachers, department heads, superintends and/or principals have access to and probably periodically review written materials? Is this what you're saying? I just want to make sure that I have not misrepresented your misguided calculations.

[moonraven]

That's exactly what I am saying, distiller, and for the following reasons:

Dave's is theoretically a venue in which most of us are English teachers, and in which most of us are prone to correct mistakes of the type committed by the poster in question.

Some posters have even indicated that they proofread what they write on these threads very carefully for those two reasons I just mentioned.

The poster in question is less likely to be careful of grammar and syntax in the classroom because he believes that the students won't know the difference, and because he is probably infrequently observed.

And, given that he is asking for ideas for classes and activities on this forum, he probably doesn't have an a DOS or English coordinator where he works who can help him out.

He is very likely to have a supervisor who doesn't even speak English!