I never cease to be impressed how good natured the students are here. They are the sort of students you could happily let use your laptop for a lesson unsupervised and it wouldn't occur to them to search for their upcoming exams. I take my wallet to class so I don't need to go upstairs if I want to go to the cafeteria with no thought that it mightn't be a good idea. I can lend them DVDs or send videos home with them on my USB if they have missed class, and there's never a problem.
As far as I can see they aren't two faced and if there is ever a problem they will talk to me rather than complaining to someone else. (Like the boy who a week or two into the first time had an outburst because he thought my vocab was too difficult - his vocab ended up improving a lot ) . (Much easier to sort out problems that way.)
The older students are great at getting the younger students to tow(e) the line too. Six months or so back, I came across a group of Korean year 8 or 9s in the cafeteria who got up leaving all their plates behind (not done - McDonald's rules in the cafeteria) They were very unimpressed with a request to clear their table (belong to the 'I'm not the maid' school of students). A chat with the year 11 Korean students, a phone call from the 11s to the 9s and all of them were upstairs extremely remorseful ... ever since they have been as sweet and chirpy as can be....
(Ironically one of the year 11s was the same one who had told me he didn't do low class jobs when I ticked him off for the same thing!)
Over the summer the class has been doing a research project where the task is to interview someone one from a different generation, find a topic to talk about at length and write a report that contains their own reflections on the interviews. Some of them are really good - I didn't realise basic things like the Allies bombed Bangkok during the war and many other similar WW2 events.
But anyway I emailed one of the year elevens on Sat. and told him his report was too general and to interview his grandmother again so he could include more interesting information. Last night he resubmitted it with a note saying that he never knew when his grandfather died, or how or that the war affected his family greatly and that he would never have thought to ask. It's very nice when they do their work to the best of their ability (or more), and so far this summer, most of them have.
I will miss them.
As far as I can see they aren't two faced and if there is ever a problem they will talk to me rather than complaining to someone else. (Like the boy who a week or two into the first time had an outburst because he thought my vocab was too difficult - his vocab ended up improving a lot ) . (Much easier to sort out problems that way.)
The older students are great at getting the younger students to tow(e) the line too. Six months or so back, I came across a group of Korean year 8 or 9s in the cafeteria who got up leaving all their plates behind (not done - McDonald's rules in the cafeteria) They were very unimpressed with a request to clear their table (belong to the 'I'm not the maid' school of students). A chat with the year 11 Korean students, a phone call from the 11s to the 9s and all of them were upstairs extremely remorseful ... ever since they have been as sweet and chirpy as can be....
(Ironically one of the year 11s was the same one who had told me he didn't do low class jobs when I ticked him off for the same thing!)
Over the summer the class has been doing a research project where the task is to interview someone one from a different generation, find a topic to talk about at length and write a report that contains their own reflections on the interviews. Some of them are really good - I didn't realise basic things like the Allies bombed Bangkok during the war and many other similar WW2 events.
But anyway I emailed one of the year elevens on Sat. and told him his report was too general and to interview his grandmother again so he could include more interesting information. Last night he resubmitted it with a note saying that he never knew when his grandfather died, or how or that the war affected his family greatly and that he would never have thought to ask. It's very nice when they do their work to the best of their ability (or more), and so far this summer, most of them have.
I will miss them.
2 comments:
Are the students so great with the other teachers? You just seem to do your best for them (for everyone)so they in return do their best for you and pick up on your enthusiasm.
I sure hope you get to continue teaching such high level students during your next gig- where ever that may be :)
The day before yesterday Tomo looked up from playing with lego and offhand said "I haven't seen Cecilia in a long time- you should tell her to come" :)
He made his own digiridoo on the weekend and keeps wanting to listen on repeat to a CD Masa has of someone playing it. Must say- first time around it is interesting but on repeat it is an aquired taste I have yet to aquire *lol*. His whole Australia facination seems to be lasting as long as his one with dinosaurs- and I thought they were both fads he was going through a couple of years ago but both still are on his mind.
lol - of course it's them!
that said though, I probably give them more chances to disappoint or impress than most teachers - I figure that if they get responsibility they usually rise to the occasion :)
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