Archive for September 11th, 2009

An Email From A Student

Posted by Alastair in Uncategorized on September 11, 2009

To Alastair,

For the first impression, I think you are a very nice, kind and talented teacher with a little shyness (I hope it is not offensive to you…). And almost all of your students love your smile very much, certainly including me. Your smile made us feel super warm when we got into the room!!! Haha~

I’m afraid that most of us have little interest in BBC. I know it’s quite rude, but…we prefer to learn more about British culture rather than just listen to BBC news in order to practise our listening skills more and more. It is just my opinion that when a teacher gives his or her lesson with his or her own experiences of life, the students can have a better understanding of this course, and a better understanding of their teacher, and also a better understanding of the country which their teacher comes from. Thus, students will keep great passion on it. We had a lot of practice during the listening class, although we still have a long way to go. Because of this, we tend to change another way of learning English. Learning languages should be an interesting thing, right? However, in this period, we just feel too tired to face so much practising and training and homework. Could you help us to get out of this state, please?

Maybe because most of your students come from Grade 3, and a few come from Grade 2. So we have more difficulties when listening to BBC? That’s why we feel miserable during the class?

I’m so…sorry to say these words.

Best wishes.

My Reply

To Student,

First of all thank you for your comments, I appreciate your honesty and you’ve done so with politeness and it is not rude at all.

If you ask any intelligent and thoughtful British person about the BBC, they will tell you that they have very strong feelings for it. We grew up with the BBC, it is honest, thoughtful, very good and shows what being British is. British people connect the BBC with being British, so by studying things that come from the BBC students can learn a lot. You must remember that we will study things that are about Britain, we won’t study the BBC itself. It won’t just be news as well, I have planned some entertainment shows and TV shows, so please don’t loose heart.
I understand why you are asking me to change my style of teaching, because the material is hard and difficult to get into. I am sure that if you ask other students who have had me as a teacher they will say that I work hard as a teacher, and expect my students to do much practice. I agree that language learning should be fun, however this is university and an elective course with many students. It is hard to let everybody be interested in what I do. Also, I am only young and the style of lesson you suggest I make is difficult for me to do well with so many students. I have my own skills and style, which means that I do what I am good at.
The style of lesson we will have is about learning to study listening yourself. If you want to goto English university you need to pass IELTS or some other English tests. My aim for this course is to let you find and plan materials yourself from what’s available. My whole reason for teaching is to get you to do better and better and it can’t always be fun. If things are too easy and relaxing then you will get no benefit from my course except some small fun, that is not good for your future.
The bottom line, the thing you need to remember is that the lessons will be hard, but the benefit will be great if you focus on practice and learning.

If you ask any intelligent and thoughtful British person about the BBC, they will tell you that they have very strong feelings for it. We grew up with the BBC, it is honest, thoughtful, very good and shows what being British is. British people connect the BBC with being British, so by studying things that come from the BBC students can learn a lot. You must remember that we will study things that are about Britain, we won’t study the BBC itself. It won’t just be news as well, I have planned some entertainment shows and TV shows, so please don’t loose heart.

I understand why you are asking me to change my style of teaching, because the material is hard and difficult to get into. I am sure that if you ask other students who have had me as a teacher they will say that I work hard as a teacher, and expect my students to do much practice. I agree that language learning should be fun, however this is university and an elective course with many students. It is hard to let everybody be interested in what I do. Also, I am only young and the style of lesson you suggest I make is difficult for me to do well with so many students. I have my own skills and style, which means that I do what I am good at.

The style of lesson we will have is about learning to study listening yourself. If you want to goto English university you need to pass IELTS or some other English tests. My aim for this course is to let you find and plan materials yourself from what’s available. My whole reason for teaching is to get you to do better and better and it can’t always be fun. If things are too easy and relaxing then you will get no benefit from my course except some small fun, that is not good for your future.

The bottom line, the thing you need to remember is that the lessons will be hard, but the benefit will be great if you focus on practice and learning.

Alastair

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