LOVE & HATE for English courses...

We are coming to the end for the course, basically we've covered the relevant topics that we need to and we are just left with several communication topics which are just extra information for you in this course. Towards the end, we would have lesser formal classroom sessions and we'll be focusing on the last assignment, which is the script-writing + sketch. These 2 weeks, we are gonna have lots of presentations going on and of course, I do not like to force my students to sit in the class without doing anything but of course, I would also be very much appreciated if my students could participate in other groups' presentations.

Two days into the week of presentation, I would say that I really encountered a lot of 'drama' in the classes. Obviously, some did extremely good and some were just there because they think they were 'forced' to. And, of course I know that some think presentation is boring and a waste of time. Well, that's your opinion and we are all entitled to have own opinions so I wouldn't blame you for anything.

I am not sure how much does the 5% means to you but when I was a student, I took every % (even if it's 1%) very seriously. It is because that's my responsibility as a student. In the first place, nobody forced you to be here. You can choose not to study university and get a job. If you have determined to study, why not put your effort and get the best out of it? I am very sad looking at my students who are so lazy and demotivated in doing the things that I have entrusted them.

Some students think assignments and presentation are crap. If you do think so, why don't you prove yourself that you can do it better? Because if you don't do your work, you are not proving anything but only putting yourself at an even lower level. Think, if you can't even do a 'crap' thing right, and if you can't even achieve high mark for a 'crap' thing, that shows you are even more 'crap' and what is your worth then? As worth as a piece of crap? Or more worthless than a piece of crap? If you are actually thinking about these questions, should I really question that you actually want to compare yourself to a piece of crap?

I am expressing this because I was so sad as I actually witnessed my students fighting in the class because no one contributed anything and they were pushing blames to each other and in the end they claimed that "they don't even care for that mere 5%". This is not the case where you show your power to anybody. This is about yourself, your worthiness in life. Pushing blame and not contributing are not something to be very proud of.

Yes, you think you are good in English. Yes, you think English Foundation and Basic English are just wasting your time. If you do think like that, PROVE IT. Write a piece of work, without making stupid mistakes all over. Speak properly so that people can understand you clearly. How many times have I told you that 'your subject must agree with the verb' and 'please take care of your tenses'. If you can't even score at least 80% in each of your work, how can you convince me that you are good? Stop chasing your teacher over marked papers or homework. Do you know how much mistakes that you have made and I have to correct? Are you not bored of making the same stupid mistakes over and over again? Well, I do get sick of correcting the same mistake over and over again. Not even that, some very artistic students with very nice handwriting can really make my brain spins.

I respect each and everyone as a human being and give everyone the freedom to do things they want. Of course I am not a perfect teacher but I can loudly acclaim myself to be a responsible teacher. I do what I am suppose to and I fulfill all the responsibility that I was told to. How about you as a student? Does teamwork take a toll on you? Is it really hard for you to sit down and work things out as a team? If you don't like to do certain things, do you think other people like to do it? How would you feel if people claim the credits on the works that you have done? Put yourself in others' shoes before making any stupid decisions.

The purpose of having a group work to make everyone's life easier. Imagine doing all those things on your own. How much time are you wasting? Yes, you have other more 'important' assignments from other 'important' subjects (yeah, English is just a piece of crap to you...) Unless you do really have communication problems, yes, I would gladly let you do and individual work. But if you don't let me know your problems in the first place, how can I help? Why didn't you express your difficulties to me? Probably because you were always absent in class. Probably you were just too busy with the other more 'important' subjects. That's why you don't even know what is happening in your English class. At the end of the day, you say "Oh..I wasn't told about this thing...Oh..I don't know what is going on." But is that my business? As a teacher, my responsibility is to give information in every class. If you miss any class, please talk to your friends or you can see me in the office. From what I have noticed, less than 5% of my students actually 'visited' me in my office. Yeah, only few very enthusiastic students.

So, whatever kind of person you are, just a kind reminder to you. Please do your work properly and do not make your group members suffer with you. Assignments and presentations are where you can earn your marks easily. If you want to prove your worth, show me what you have and NOT being a coward who only knows how to avoid responsibility. I have been very lenient with giving marks for presentation because I look at teamwork. I appreciate the contributions of each one. And if you persistently passed up your drafts, you would realise that I've make corrections and edit the mistakes from you. Please, you can go to other classes and look at their drafts. Do you see so much red marks on their papers? I spent my time correcting your mistakes so please let me feel that my efforts are being appreciated. Do I have no life? Why do I have to waste my weekends and night time marking those assignments that were not even mine? Do I get extra salary? Or do I get extra recognition from somewhere?? NO! NOT AT ALL!! You don't have to give me anything. I don't even want you to say thank you to me. (Do you even say thank you when I returned the papers?) But please, let me feel that what I have done for everyone is worthwhile. Stop complaining and end this course with peace.

If you expect me to give you an A with my eyes close, I am very sorry because I have my own ethics and principles as a teacher. I don't mind if you want to get 'extra information' from other classes, but never from me. I would rather want you to come and ask me for help for revision rather than you asking 'tips'. What is the purpose of having exams if I give you all the questions? If this is the case, I would say that in 10 years' time, all buildings will collapse because engineers and architects get their As because of tips. More people will die of diseases because doctors and scientists passed with flying colours because of tips. And our next generation will become a bunch of stupid people because all their teachers get their teaching certificates because of tips. Can you understand the consequences? If you can't understand this simple meaning of test or exam? I am truly speechless and I would suggest you not to continue your study anymore.

And please, remember I DO NOT force you to come to my class. Since the first class, I've told you my class policy. If you do not agree, feel free to get a change. I rather to have people who are serious to attend my class than to have people just want to come and waste their time.

Thank you for taking time to read my very long thoughts. I hope that this will help you to do some soul-searching as well.