What's wrong with the students
By GraceChen03
@GraceChen03 (73)
China
June 28, 2011 9:21am CST
When I standbefore the students and try my best to make me understood, some listen to me carefully, but some just sit there doing noting. No matter how hard I try to emphasize the important pionts, they never care. This is always the situation. I sometimes cannot help but becoming angry. Once I was explaining their homework exercises, a students was looking at his nail and another sudents was sitting there wandering. I explained the grammar point in that question three times, but they did not take any notes and pay any attention to their exercises. So I asked one of them to repeat the grammar I said, and he just stood there silently.
I knew he must have done that wrong;I explained the grammar again and asked him to gave me the right answer, and he did not respond standing there and saying nothing. After class I asked him what was wrong with him and wether he understood me in my office. He said he had not understood me and I explained the grammar again and asked him to answer another question with the same grammar. He just stood there silently. I know what the problem is. He just did not want to listen to me and study English. What can I do with him?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
28 Jun 11
As a teacher sometimes we focus too much on the faults of our students but we never asked ourselves, what we are doing wrong. We always think that we are doing our best when in fact it doesn't look like that to them. There are students who don't trust their teacher's capability and in fact look down on them and these students are the hardest to please.
So this time let's not ask what's wrong with the student. Let's begin by asking, what's wrong with me? Am i at fault here? Why isn't he listening to me? Then maybe we would be able to find the solution.
I always blame myself whenever my student is not improving his skills and thus i try my best to change the strategy. Instead of forcing the student to listen to me, I force myself to become effective so I don't have to force them but they will do so willingly.
1 person likes this
@GraceChen03 (73)
• China
30 Jun 11
thank you.You are right; not all faults are sutudents; to some extent, we should also reflect ourselves. And I am trying.
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
28 Jun 11
WELCOME TO MYLOT gracechen.
Nothing is wrong with the students. Grammar is not relished by students even in India where english is given more importance. You can imagine how it will be to teach college students in Chennai grammar. I use to have very difficult times sometimes u start feeling, is it for this we are coming all the way here.
1) Students are not interested in grammar normally because it is difficult to understand and also there are various exceptions here and there.
2) In China possibly many parents may not be comfortable with English and they may not teach in the house.
3) to be frank when I was a student 50 years 40 years ago, I use to memorise the answer and write 65% of it and get 55% marks.
Do not feel bad about students not listening. At the same time repeatedly we should advise them to listen(which they may not) and carry on do our duty and come out.
have a good day.
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
30 Jun 11
Yes Grace: As teachers we must do our duty properly whatever may happen. Do your duty and leave the rest to God. Do not expect any benefits for whatever we do except the salary which is a must for our living. have a good day.
@GraceChen03 (73)
• China
30 Jun 11
Thank you Ravisivan; it's very kind of you to say so. What we need to do most is to do our duty no matter happens.
@de_angel97 (549)
• Malaysia
29 Jun 11
Hi Grace, welcome to mylot. I have been in your situation where I was required to teach English to college students. What can I say, students nowadays mostly take education for granted. I'm not so old, but comparing to last generation, or maybe my mother's generation, student used to do what they supposed to do. But nowadays, some of them go to school just because their parents want them to go. I used to get all mad, I felt like an idiot standing before a bunch of mute potatoes. But then I realised getting all negative not going to help my day any better. As I already did all my best, gave my best, I just be positive and don't get too harsh with the 'mute' students. After all, there are some still want to learn. Happy teaching =)
@GraceChen03 (73)
• China
30 Jun 11
Thank you Angel. You gave me the right word to decribe the students, mute potatoes,Lol.... yeah, I have to teach with the hope that some still want to learn and my work is still worthwhile.
@ebuscat (5935)
• Philippines
29 Jun 11
For me they get bored to school they like in the house watching TV and it is okay they are not responsible to there life no thinking why they go to school.
@GraceChen03 (73)
• China
30 Jun 11
Thank you ebuscat. You are right, some students do not know why they come here.
@dong88 (795)
• China
29 Jun 11
Hello!The students I met.In my years as a teacher,I have several of these students.How to da?Is really a headache.I the time,can the corporal punishment student,have a very naughty student,be I once,then he behaved.
Ah,but the corporal punishment student is wrong.
@GraceChen03 (73)
• China
30 Jun 11
Thank you Dong. it seems that though punishment is not right,it is necessary.lol~
@rdmcollamat (176)
• Philippines
28 Jun 11
Try to be more interactive during class. Get more into activities to pique the interest of your students as they seem to lack a lot of interest in your subject. :)
@imaging_1 (64)
• United Kingdom
29 Jun 11
I agree! In china, kids begin studying English even from kindergarten the present day, while I start to study it from junior middle school. To be honest, I always love studying English, and I always attribute it to my first English teacher. She was very beautiful; she knew how to make us love English. When you got a right answer, she would give you a prize. The feeling was so good and made you wanted to learn more to get more prize. Certainly, native intelligence in English depends on individuals, but interest in it could be affected by teacher and environment. After all, most of the time, you need not to speak another language in our own country.
@GraceChen03 (73)
• China
30 Jun 11
Thank you much. I understand what you meant. They do not need to speak English in their daily life. But they have to learn it because they have to take English Exams without no other chioce.
@GemmaR (8517)
•
28 Jun 11
I think that one of the major problems with students today is that they take their education for granted. Even those who go to college and have to pay for their education don't seem to appreciate it. In addition to this, they are pushed too hard. They have to go to school five days per week, up to eight hours per day, and then they're expected to make assignments during their spare time and now the holidays, at least in the UK, are being shortened to just four weeks during the summer meaning that they have even less time to relax. I know that teachers have the same hours, however you get paid whereas students do not.
