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[denise]

I teach a writing class to university-aged students. I've got them doing both personal writing and academic essays. Recently, I've read comments (in both assignments) such as, "I don't like myself very much," "I'm lazy," "I need to lose weight," (this one from a rail-thin young lady), "Only plastic surgery could fix the way I look," "I have no characteristics that I am proud of," etc. When I read these comments, I am never quite sure how to respond. Do I gloss over their comments and focus only on their language usage? (I've never--at least, not since I got a clue about how to teach--focused only on language, i.e., grammatical structures/form--I always focus on content as well.) Given that the students felt comfortable enough to tell me about their self-esteem issues, I should feel comfortable enough responding, right? What sort of response is appropriate, though? A trite little compliment? Something more serious?

Do any of you have any suggestions or anecdotes from your own experiences that you could share?

Thanks,
d

P.S. Pardon the typo in the earlier version of this post! It has been corrected.

[Guest]

I know exactly what you mean as some of my students kept diaries in English and disclosed really personal stuff in there. It made me feel quite uncomfortable and apart from anything else it made me loathed to correct their grammar. That could be enough to push them over the edge. I don't really understand why students do this, except they don't feel like they have any other outlet I suppose. But still if I was in their position I'm sure I'd rather keep my issues to myself than tell my English teacher.

One of my students became a close personal friend very early on when I helped her out with her gaijin boyfriend issues. She confided in me in my first week in Japan. Since then though I kept my distance from my students' personal issues so I never addressed anything that came up the diaries.

[Wolf]

I had this happen with my studnents as well. I teach at a uni in rural China, so I got a lot of family issue stuff. I know that there isn't a heck of a lot of support for people with problems over here. I also don't think that this is the sort of thing that they can talk about with others. Writing about it in a foreign langauge (one that most Chinese can't speak or write) is for them the only way of release of any pent up feelings they have.

I can't ignore it. I usually say something like "you were brave to write this." or whatever I can think of to sound reassuring. (I do focus on grammer when I correct as I was teaching a writing - only class, so most of my corrections/comments are in that direction anyway.) As a teacher I feel I can't bury my head in the sand concerning students' problems. Maybe I should do more, maybe not....

[guest of Japan]

This is truly a difficult question. I appreciated Wolf's response very much. I might add something like, "Thank you for approaching this assignment with a lot of honesty. I really appreciate your efforts to try to express yourself fully using the English language. I feel honored that you have allowed me to share your thoughts with you." Or something like that.

I used to tell my students (when I had high level students) that English represented a bit of freedom. They didn't always have to say the correct or most appropriate thing. They could even explore a new persona if they liked.

Just try not to let them bait you.

[Brooks]

I don`t mind being a psychologist.
But I do wish schools like mine in Tokyo had psychologists and guidance counselors, because some of my students generally do need some help.
In a way, it is good your students can open up. Students like to talk about themselves, and it is our jobs as teachers to listen and to pay attention to them.