Student Writing

It's frustrating being a teacher sometimes. It seems as if every day a student approaches me and asks me how they can improve their writing, how they can increase their vocabulary, or how they can read more effectively. I always give more or less the same advice. I tell them that there's no substitute for practice and that if they devote time and effort to improving, they'll be fine. I always offer to have a look at any extra writing they do in their free time. How much of this writing do I ever see? None. Ever. Seriously. If you could learn a language by telling your teaching that you're worried and have problems, I'd know at least five hundred students who speak and write English perfectly. Sadly I can only think of about five students who can now write as well as they want to be able to...

Last Monday I had an idea for a task which would ease my students back into their studies and review some vital skills that they have looked at before and which they will need to do well this term. There was a simple homework task - not too time-consuming but, in my opinion, very useful practice all the same. Only two students submitted their homework. These two:

Q&A with Konstantinos

Konstantinos was asked what his greatest fear is. He said that he had nothing to fear. Konstantinos was then asked what makes him unhappy, and answered that he doesn't feel good when he hasn't had enough sleep. Finally, Konstantinos was asked whether it is better to give or to receive, and he gave an immediate answer: 'both'.

Q&A with Maggie

I asked Magi some questions, the first of which was "what is your greatest fear?". She answered that her greatest fear is that her parents might divorce. The second question was which living person Maggie most admires, and why? She said that she admire hers colleague, because he is a noble person. The third question I asked was whether it is better to give or receive, to which Maggie responded that she prefers to give than to receive, because this makes her look like a generous person.