UNREACHABLE AND UNTEACHABLE STUDENTS
Every Chinese college and university has them, from top tier down to the bottom 4th tier.Usually every class has at least one and the unlucky teacher may be saddled with several. Occasionally, an entire class may be beyond reach.
No matter what the pedagogy, the methodology, the materials; there are some students who have decided that higher education is only an endurance requirement. In America there is an educational philosophy that no child shall be left behind. China has a slightly different bent – no college student shall fail to receive a diploma so long as the tuition has been paid.
Nationally, 5% of Chinese university students are unreachable and unteachable. At Zongshan University 1.6% of the post-graduate non-English majors are unreachable and unteachable.
Chinese students know full well that they will not be failed even if they never attend classes. They are allowed to retake a final exam, with a different teacher each time, until a teacher is found who will pass them. Failing grades issued by foreign teachers are administratively changes rather regularly. The Chinese educational system deprives the teacher of a major external motivational tool and the students take advantage of this situation.
These students are not too hard to identify. They sit in the back row and try to blend into the back wall. Some sit up front, arms crossed with a scowl on their face that says a D-8 bulldozer isn’t going to move them.
Some give themselves away by telling the foreign teacher “you do not understand China” or “you do not understand Chinese students” or “you do not teach like a Chinese teacher.”
Others will declare their open contempt for English due to some misguided nationalistic pride. Some will state that they do not need English now or in the future. A Shanghai University student declared that his father was a very high Shanghai Government party official and that his father would always take care of his future, both politically and financially. This boy was well connected and his future was assured. Within months his father was caught up in the political purge and power shift that saw all of Shanghai’s political leaders replaced. His father was imprisoned and made to forfeit all of his money and property. The boy was weeks away from graduation and would receive a useless degree.
A young man in Guangzhou insisted that he would never need English because his father was Chairman of the Board and majority Shareholder of a major Chinese company. This boy wasted his educational opportunity in reliance on his father’s position and wealth. Within two months of the boy’s graduation his father was imprisoned for economic crimes and sentenced to death and forfeiture of all money and property.
It is sad indeed to watch any misguided student pursue a path of self-destruction. But no matter what you say or do, they are determined to serve their time at university without earning an education because they know an education (Diploma) will be handed to them as long as their tuition is paid. Educated idiots!
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Jennifer Class15C
March 7th, 2010 at 11:01 pm · Edit
EDITOR’S NOTE: OBVIOUSLY YOU DID NOT FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AND DRAFT THIS POST IN WORD. YOUR ARROGANCE WILL BE YOUR DOWNFALL.
I don’t agree the conclusion saying that”FACE predestines failure, it does not foster success” It’s true that FACE might caused some problems but people cannot just simply deny it for such stupid and naive reasons!FACE has its root in Chinese culture with quite complex reasons.As I keep my critical opinion about western’s open and direct,because it is the tradition,those who all ways talk about failures of Chinese culture should make their conclusion more reasonable.
THIS IS WHAT YOUR POST WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE IF YOU HAD FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS:
I don’t agree the conclusion saying that “FACE predestines failure, it does not foster success” It’s true that FACE might cause some problems but people cannot just simply deny it for such stupid and naive reasons! FACE has its root in Chinese culture with quite complex reasons. As I keep my critical opinion about western’s open and direct, because it is the tradition, those who all ways talk about failures of Chinese culture should make their conclusion more reasonable.
YOU ALSO SENT AN EMAIL:
Firstly,I do write my comments in WORD and post it after checked it.I think my spelling is good enough to write most of the words in a right way.And I’m not sure it would be really usefull to ask a classmate for help with check my comment,because he/she might make more mistake than me!
ARE YOU AN UNREACHABLE AND UNTEACHABLE STUDENT?
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Ryun Class15C
March 7th, 2010 at 7:58 pm · Edit
EDITOR’S NOTE: ARE YOU AN UNREACHABLE AND UNTEACHABLE STUDENT? EXACTLY WHICH CLASSICS CONTAIN STANDARD ENGLISH? SHAKESPEARE? YOU REALLY NEED TO OPEN YOUR EARS TO HEAR. THERE IS NO STANDARD ENGLISH. IF YOU WALK AROUND SPEAKING ENGLISH FROM ANY OF THE CLASSICS, NO ONE IS GOING TO UNDERSTAND YOU. ENGLISH IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
AND YOU ARE DETERMINED TO “MASTER” ORAL ENGLISH? EITHER YOU DID NOT ATTEND THE ORIENTATION LECTURE, OR YOU SLEPT THROUGH IT, OR YOU ARE SO ARROGANT YOU DO NOT EVEN NEED TO ATTEND MY CLASS EVER AGAIN. I HAVE NO PATIENCE FOR YOUR TYPE.
YOU ALSO FAILED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS SO I AM GOING TO EDIT YOUR POST IN THE HOPE THAT YOU WILL DROP YOUR ARROGANCE AND START LEARNING.
Frankly I only mind learning standard English, which is almost opposed to Mr Wolf’s viewpoint. That is just because I intend to be devoted to scholorship scholarship of classics and to take it as my way of life. To me standard English means great authors’ writings including works in various spheres. Ture True civilization is written, not spoken. It is to say that the essential vitality and dignity of such major languages as english English consist in their great literatures literature in the wide sense of this term. It is possible that I cannot soon master orally communicating in english English before I concentrate on spicific training about this, but it does not matter since such a training is relatively easy and I will never be unhappy if I do not understand every word of native speakers of english English.
YOU WERE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO WITHDRAW OR CORRECT THIS POST BUT YOUR ONLY REPLY WAS A DENIAL THAT YOU ARE ARROGANT. YOU ALSO CRITICIZED ME FOR SHOWING YOUR MISTAKES TO YOUR CLASSMATES. NOW THEY ARE KNOWN TO THE WORLD.
I can’t agree with you absolutely.
I know a person who is just a junior students and nearly know nothing about English but is very successful in finance. Why? I know English is very important nowadays but not absolute.
“No pains, No gains” is proper everyone, I think.
The word “nowadays” is a very temporary word to use, Joey. The article is telling us to think about the future!
English is very important, even if it’s not obvious now. Changes are happening that are going to need the most balanced people in China making decisions. The potential of the Chinese people is incredible, but the attitudes need to change, or the entire structure will fall flat on its face.
If you take a look around, you can see English writing on t-shirts, signs, products… everywhere. Why is that? Are they written there just for the small number of foreigners who waste everyone’s valuable study time?
I believe that the government of China is making a progressive push in the global market. Their goal is ultimately to have anyone in a position of financial or governmental power to KNOW English, not just understand it. In twenty years, you will see that China’s East coast will be practically bilingual. Little baby children are learning now what the college generation waited until they were ten to learn. They have a seven-year advantage, plus they’re acquiring a language at a more appropriate age.
Let’s pretend that in twenty years, you own a business. You make a lot of money from many countries all over the world, knowing the one language that is spoken everywhere is English. In order to reach the most customers, you want someone to use the telephone, not just write emails.
Will you want to hire a twenty-five-year-old who is just finished university and speaks English and Chinese? Would you want to hire a forty-year-old who knows only Chinese? This is something a student in college “nowadays” might stay awake late at night thinking about.
The examples in the article made me misunderstanding what the author wants to tell us. I agree with you, Kris. And if the second and the third pargragh from the end are taken place of your words, it should be better to understand the essay for us. And thanks for your help about the word “nowadays”, Kris
I think I understand your meaning, Joey. The two tragic stories might be a bit harsh, but the author wishes to get a point across to the reader. Sometimes, you learn best by observing what happens to others. I was crazy enough to have learned many things the hard way in my youth, but I am fortunate to get second chances. I lived long enough to be a bit more careful and respect the danger that waits for me in the future.
Martin’s passion paired with his sometimes unorthodox (by Chinese standards) methods sometimes shock people, but I would never question his intent. He has a clear vision, not only for the students in his school, but for China in general. Much later in time, people will see what he was trying to do today; even people who don’t agree with him on everything. He will have a legacy in Chinese education, in any case.
I also have to say that he has everyone’s best interest at heart.
The unreachable and unteachable students he is referring to are only that because they don’t wish to be anything else. This utter refusal to cooperate makes some foreign teachers uneasy, because a foreign teacher isn’t ever asking for much. Open up and take part in what the group is doing, then everyone’s happy. Foreign teachers are usually friendly, so why is there a stubborn donkey making life difficult in every classroom?
I’m curious to know why anyone would resist when the rest of the group is enjoying the class.
Martin knows from his own life experience that a country can be weakened by people who are content to give the very minimum of effort, no matter where they exist in the system. The hard-working people always have to pick up the slack for the pampered “citizens” of any community. It’s not fair, and now is the time to repair the problem.
Sometimes people need a big brother to point out their mistakes before they get out of control.
For a Chinese student, I have some puzzlement for our country’s education system. From the primary school stage to postgraduate stage, even to doctor stage, we spend nearly 20 years in campus. However when we step into the society, we still don’t know any common sense about our life. That is to say most of us cann’t accept the test of the society. Actually we need more practice, more opportunities to improve ourselves. In my opinion, our country should pay more attention to this situation, just like our study for English.
I have good news and bad news for you, Angelina.
The good news is that the government recognizes the problem, and are taking incredible steps into progress like never before. Schools are now encouraged to set up extra-curricular programs and to loosen the grip on excess study time. Young people working together to solve everyday problems will stimulate creativity, develop a sense of bonding, and will ultimately mature the students into upright and outstanding people.
Foreign teachers are being given a greater advantage lately as well. Rather than discussing what life is like overseas, foreigners can hold question/answer sessions, showing basic life skills to young people that want to know what their future holds. Every subject they know in Chinese will have a broader vocabulary hammered out for them. If it’s possible, I might have even a “cook-out” at an English Corner in the spring, putting to practice the cooking skills they learned.
The bad news is that it’s the “eleventh hour” for most students currently in school. If you’re in your last years of education, the changes will be too little/too late. There are still many mountains for a latter student to climb, and the changes will not happen overnight, even if they are in the process. When a ship is out on the ocean, it takes a long time to turn around.
Is it too late, though? Not if a student’s attitude changes. Being open to new ideas is something every person in the world needs to do. Chinese youth must sense that they are being granted a bit more space. They should take advantage of the fact that they are surrounded by people who know at least a little bit of English. Practicing together and sharing meaningful information with each other will make a world of difference, and will mean a vast strengthening of China for its people.
I should say, maybe you are right, Kris. We are endeavoring to gain rapid progress for our life,our education system and our development.Actually, only a bit of today’s youth are relied on their parents’ wealth and power. Their future is projected by their parents who feel that is the best way.Just a bit persons,live like this. But most of us are self-sufficient, at least we can have living like that we want to.Of course, most of us have the traditional virtues which make foreigners shocked,such as diligence,insistence and soliderity.I’m sure we will be useful to our country’s beautiful tomorrow. Trust me and thank you very much for caring the development of Chinese youth.Thanks again,Kris!
The only one thing I want to say is that our country is going through a rough time of transformation. Just as Martin said a couple hours ago ,our China is under rapid development and things are changing anytime. What we should do is doing our best and make our motherland more powerful,more democratic and more beautiful.The student who all thinks about himself is not going to achieve a higher level.To establish ourself in the society is the final goal that we should pursue persistently.
Yes, I agree with the view of Martin, we some of Chinese not studying but wasting time and wealth at university. Why? Because their parents can give him or her a lot of money. People said money is not a panacea, but no money is totally unacceptable. But we should think we are adults and we must take responsibilities for ourselves and society. The strength of the motherland that must rely on us these young people. So we must study technology and the language of English.
Now days,China’s education has many serious problems. For example, the relationship between students and teachers ,between schools and children.School was not a place of study how to be a man and how to respect our teacher;Our teacher would not our parentslike people ,and we not care about everyone and everywhere.
It is hard to change.
This article tends to go to extremes. Obviously English is important, but it is just a tool to communication, not everything. Maybe some are good at language learning, but some are not. Even many famous people cannot do an excellent job at every subject but still be successful, then why can’t we normal students not be good at English? It is not a shame that our English is not good enough for that our mother language is Chinese rather than English. Why not try to understand the so-called unreachable and unteachable students?
But saying we can be not good at English doesn’t mean we can refuse to take our responsibilities for our courses and for our diplomas. I think things are much different now. We students must work hard to pass the courses, especially obligatory courses, or else we will fail to get a diploma. I believe that it is a form of education, which teaches us to be mature and be responsible for our performance.
I do not agree all of you viewpoints. It is true that every college may be every class has the unteachable and unreachable students. There are too many reasons for the current situation in our big country, because they came from all background. But the students who learn nothing would not graduate from their school, there are so many examples for this in every educated institutions. More over, the diploma represents nothing without the competence to do a job.
That is a well-written comment, Emma. Judging on your writing skill alone, you are likely a quality student both of academic and of personal standard. Your reasons for appreciation of English are your own, but I am sure you have spent a share of your personal time honing your skills. If not, you’re just a natural genius of some kind.
In any case, you’re obviously not the type of English student Martin speaks of. I don’t try to defend Martin’s extreme manners, rather I just say “he’s extreme, isn’t he?”. Martin is perfectly aware of your excessive study demands, and likely wonders as I do whether or not it’s healthy or even as productive as everyone believes it is.
I hope you read the comments that follow, not just the article alone. I did follow Martin’s statement with a few efforts to explain his meaning, but I will debrief you here:
No matter how many lessons a person can take to learn a language, there is no substitute for good, constant exposure. As a bilingual speaker myself (French/English), I know a few things about the experience of emersion. I spent eight years learning every subject in French with my classmates. I practiced it during my breaks, and read French books and watched movies in French with no trouble. The more I spoke it, the easier it got, and the more proud I was to have this extra ability.
Twenty years later, I am the only one that I know can still speak it who didn’t move to a French-speaking land.
The difference between myself and Chinese people learning to speak English is that perhaps English will be more important in twenty years. French never really became necessary for me, but sometimes useful. For example, it helps me to understand what problems someone might face when they are trying to express themselves without all the right words. I never thought I had any unique traits about me, but it seems that my kind is ultra-rare here in China. So perhaps knowing a second language is a good thing after all. You never know how language acquisition can pay off!
The hope of any self-respecting foreign teacher is that students will be inspired to practice speaking the language they’re already fitted with. Their wish is simply that you get betterHopefully, they’ll practice on their own time if they can, and get to enjoy it as more than just a tool to communicate with. There are a lot of funny jokes out there that you’re missing out on if you only learned English to get by, kiddo.
Knowing a language versus learning a language is a definite contrast. If you are exposed to something, you get to know it without even trying. You know your mother, but you never studied a book about your mother to pass a test, did you? Some people can barely speak English at all, but the fact that they have the courage to try makes me proud of them.
Martin is talking about a whole other kind of creature:
The so-called… “so-called” unreachable and unteachable students are the ones who just don’t want to be there, and only as a result of that attitude, the teachers don’t want them there either. They’re only there because they must be. There’s an English expression: “You can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” Those are exactly the kind of students Martin is talking about.
Instead of playing along, they serve as destroyers to any positive environment. Technically, they’re not breaking the rules of the school, so everyone has to put up with their stubbornness. They are the kind of person who might lose to you in a game of chess if he didn’t knock the board over and say it was an accident. In other words, they are bad sports.
“Chinese students know full well that they will not be failed even if they never attend classes.”
Actually, there are some students who do not attend the class indeed. I just want to say that they may have many other reasons besides his or her idleness. I don’t want to make any excuses for that. The point I want to stress is that we shall try to comprehend each other. All of us should not go to the dead end.
Kris said he would never question Professor Martin’s intent. I agree with that. If we all understand this point, I think we can learn more from the class, not only English.
Accordingly, I think that understanding is the key word.
I have just received the following anonymous email. I assume the cowardly student took exception to the article “Culture Shock” because their English reading and comprehension is so poor. The student has been identified. Should the student be treated as UNREACHABLE AND UNTEACHABLE?
From: xlylovechina
To: sysu.postgrad
Sent: Mon, October 12, 2009 9:56:25 PM
Subject: YOU SUCH A MONSTER!
wollf:
YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT: YOU DESIRE OUR RESPECTION, AT FIRST AND AT LEAST, YOU SHOULD RESPECT OUR MOTHERLAND!!
ALTHOUGH CHINA IS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY, WHICH HAS MANY BLEMISH, YOU SUCH A FOREINGER, WHO BEG FOR LIVING FROM CHINESE PEOPLE, HAVE NO RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT IT!
YOU SHOULD OPEN YOUR EYES TO SEE CLEARLY, NOW THE DAY, AMERICA IS NO MORE THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, AND CHINA IS FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH! EVEN Hilary IS BECOMING A SINOPHILE. WHY? BECOURSE THEY ARE SMART ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT CHINA IS BECOMING TO A BIG AND POWERFUL COUNTRY, SO THAT IN THE COMING FUTURE, AMERICA WILL HAVE TO LOOK TO CHINA.
INDEED, YOU HAVE SOME WISDOM, BUT YOU ARE TOO ARROGANT TO BE RESPECTED!
IF YOU DEAR TO SAY ANY MORE WORD OF INSULTING OUR COUNTRY, MIND YOURSELF!!
YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT: YOU DESIRE OUR RESPECTION, AT FIRST AND AT LEAST, YOU SHOULD RESPECT OUR MOTHERLAND!!
First,I should say it is good that the student respects and loves his motherland,but I am not supportive with what he did.China is still a developing country,still has a long way to go.We have no reason to be arrogant.I totally agree with that we should respect each other,sincerely.I have no idea why he said there were words of insulting our country,maybe he misunderstood something?I hope so.
We are here to learn English not to study English,that means,besides improvement of English skills,learning the history and cultrue of foreign countries is also necessary and important.You konw nothing of them,you fail to learn English.But so many of us just want to improve skills,what’s worse,often study passively.A bad problem familiar in China is that some students live under parents’s protection.The education system is undoubtedly need to be changed.However,it can’t be reached in a short term.There are students from top to bottom,so it is normal there are different education systems in the world,good or bad.Most of us want to make progess,and it requires paying out.Maybe we can try it together.
In my opinion,english is a sort of language just like chinese.
Without it,we can aslo communicate with othes who can speak chinese. In all my life,we contact with only a few person.so we can aslo live a happy life without english.If you want have a further education,you must learn it and speak fluently.in a word, whether learn english or not rest with what you want to be.
I think the student has grown up and has his own thought, it’s not teacher who decide whether he is unreachable oand unteachrable or not but himself who decide what he want to be.
What’s more, you are a teacher who has 700 students, thus it’s impossible for you to make every student obey to you and agree with all the point of you.
In my opinion, the best way is to let it go and forget about it. Let this student decide what he want to be.On the other hand, the phrase”unreachable and unteachable” doesn’t depend on whether the students are respect to the teacher or not.
It can not deny that the student should not be so extream but from our Chinese angle he was venial for he was a man who love his own country so much.
The best way at present is to teach as normal and let by gones be by gones.Do not make things become more complicated and tough.Maybe the student wrote the letter just on impluse.
I have not recevied such kind of letter before, maybe I can not understand how angry you feel but I only know only if I do right I need not care about all these stuffs.Time can tell everything.
When I have read the anonymous mail, I felt sorry and complexity. Actually, I have to say that I got a little unhappy yesterday when Martin was telling the story he bought a microwave oven. But later I thought I was some susceptible. It was just a story and he didn’t have any other intention but to tell us what was the culture shock in his eyes.
I really appreciate what Pro. Martin did for us. And I always feel sorry that I didn’t meet the qualification of Martin.
I think as a university student, we should be adept in listening different opinions and we should show our manners. “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”.
On the other hand, I know exactly what this anonym thought. He or she was just susceptible like me and had strong emotion with our country. Though it is bad that he threatened a person, I supposed that he didn’t want to hurt anybody. So I think it is forgivable to a young man filled with highly patriotic sentiments, maybe sometimes it is really blind.
There are quite a lot differences between countries, nations and races,While we cannot use a standard to measure all people around the world.So first of all, we should do our best to become the real responsible individuals. I think to be a angry young man is of no avail.
Well，I think learning or not is just up to us.We have different purposes of becoming a post-graduate students. While the most important thing is to make our life happily and enjoyably. That’s to say, the key leading to success holds in our hands.
I have read the article “culture shock” carefully. Maybe the one who sent the E-mail hadn’t read the introduction of the article carefully and considered all these comments Martin’s writing. Actually, Some of the postings are really offensive to our Chinese students. The one who sent the E-mail just made a mistake and was a bit impulsive. I hope we can communicate with each other peacefully without those improper words.
opinions to “UNREACHABLE AND UNTEACHABLE STUDENTS”:
It is a common and serious phenomenon that young man and woman don’t give their efforts to their own lives, because of their moneyed parents, who can help them “all the time”. This may follow the current conditions and general situations of Chinese society. As the Chinese saying goes, “Money makes the mare to go”, and so does the “relationship in China”. To face with this situation, I cannot help but not to be no one else.
opinions to”Letter to Martin”:
When I finished reading the “culture shock”, the first idea rushed into my mind was that the expressions we Chinese gave to the other nations was unexpectedly like this. Why?
Though I was also depressed with these descriptions, because of the correctness of these words, I have to accept the reality and reflect on the words. It seems that most of the actions we take in these words exist problems. However what I think is that it is the transformation from the anger that student got due to the phenomenon to foreigners who gave these sayings. So nobody should be angry with each other because it is just “Culture Shock”.
The article”culture shock” impressed me deeply. However, situation described in the article can’t include all things occuring in China. I can realize that you are just expect us to understand the difference in culture between foreigner and chinese. I think the purpose is right. I have read the email which is anonymous to you. To be honest, his English is so poor. I don’t agree with him. Chinese welcome everyone in the world come to China, to communicate with us, to understand us.
I want to say this anonymous student is good for loving and defending China so much, I can feel his pride and enthusiasm in that mail. But, on the other hand, I don’t agree it is a good idea to write anonymous mail.
First of all, he’s not respect MR. Wolff at all, no matter what happened before, that is not accord with Chinese traditional standard because MR. Wolff is older, and is our teacher.
Secondly, people from different countries may have different thought, it’s ok. I think that would be much better if he can communicated with MR. Wolff correctly but not by the anonymous email.
We don’t have the power to control people’ideas.everyone is special,no one should be looked down or be laughed at by others just because of they having different ideas on things except for aggressive words.
The important thing is respect and understanding in communication,then there must be less misunderstanding and wrangle.
It is the first one for me to learn the attitude of a foreign teacher who teacher us. But this is not the first time that i realize that there virtually exsit a gap between the English teachers and the chinese students.And we have to realize that the consequence of the foreign English teachers’ classes are often seems to be helpness.We should find a way to ensure the education effectiveness and at the same time maybe we should emphasis both the foreign teachers and the chinese students could learn happily.
In my opinion, to get a diploma is one thing while to learn something is another. A higher education one doesn’t always mean better manners or more ability for work. I think we should never learn for a diploma. During the procession, we can learn a lot of things and search the truth of our life and the world. Learning is just more than an diploma!
I’ve read this article and the student’s e-mail. Yes, there are something in “Culture Shock” seem offensive to Chinese people. I think something written in this article are because of different culture and habit, but something are because of some of my countryman are so ill-educated. Just forget this guy, he or she maybe just to sensitive. I also love my motherland, but I think to threaten someone, especially the one is our teacher is not a good behavior. To love my motherland is not be ignore her mistakes but to fix them.
After reading it, I only want to say is that no matter what situation you are in, you should do something significant. Don’t wast your life! Maybe you don’t respect the others,but do respect yourself.
I agree with the artical in many aspects,but I think we should to look at the matter from different anglesit.Everyone has right and freedom to chose his/her own pensonnal life style,which will not infringe upon the rights of other people ,no matter what he/she chose is admissible.Learning English or not is his/her own things,and it’s not on our business.Dnn’t forger that he/she is not a kid any more!! But I like learning english very much and I hope I will make many breakthroughs!Good Luck!!
Martin, I am sorry what happen to you ,but don’t take it seriously and just do your work, speak out what you actually think!!
I aggree that some Chinese students have some kind of misguided nationalistic pride, and I don’t like this. And, on the other hand, I think something you said is not right or even wrong, but we should respect your idea because you are coming here to help this country and us, and, you are a free man to declare your real idea. Nowadays in China, we just need some opposite opinions so that we can find out which is good for our country, no matter these opinions are right or wrong.
Martin, you are a free man and you have the right to speak out what you actually think~~so, don’t take it seriously and do your work~~
I agree with you,Martin.This phenomenon is very common in China,but I think,the situation is much better than before. After all,such students is just a small part of us.Most of we Chinese students are hard-working,independent and dashing. We want to do a great undertaking by ourselves. I believe we can carry out this target. I think you will believe us,do you?
At first, I want to say that at least he or she has some courage to espress his or her feeling,though his or her words run to extremes. I adimted that much of the people feel awkward when they read the both two articles.
Indeed, our country is a developing country, we have much to improve at many aspects. But if you had seen the old country, maybe ten or twenty years ago, you will see that most of our people are doing their best to construct our country. To modify a country needs a long time, so give us some time ,we will show a bright and enlightened country to the world .
Today there are much trouble between students and their teachers in China. Although the teachers only aim at making their students have better future. But most of time the students don’t understand why he should do that. So I just want to say is that my dear professor, you have no need to argue with such a student. You have many more important things to do.
Foreigner from Canada
I love the opinions expressed by the students at your school, Martin. Everyone has a varied and thoughtful feeling about the situation in the classroom. I hope your students realize the damage their unreachable classmates are doing to their education. It’s easy to forgive a patriot, even if they’re saying something crazy in the name of their homeland. Whenever I hear people speaking out loudly about the might of Canada, I wonder how many times that person has been in the hospital. Waving a flag does not make one a patriot. Interest in strengthening one’s country and keeping it strong is what makes one a patriot.
I think that Mr. Anonymous is not necessarily unreachable or unteachable. After all, he did take the time to respond to you. It’s possible he misunderstood a remark that was made. A kneejerk response will of course ignite a string of firecrackers. You happen to be on the high ground, so let cooler heads prevail.
I suggest you talk to the guy, man-to-man. It’s very likely that he has never left his hometown, and plainly doesn’t see your point of view. It seems to me that he is begging to be enlightened. Tell him where your passions are, and maybe he’ll see that your opinions are not as wildly opposing as they seem.
Here’s an interesting observation: You’re not demanding blind obedience, what you would like from him is to volunteer a touch of cooperation. For that, you are somehow out of line.
I believe that every teacher has a dream about try their best to teach their students. The difference is the method. Obviously, it has not one method which every love it. The students would find lots of excuse to escape. The person who sent the mail to you(my professor) is just a random model. Take it easy! I also still believe that every teacher received the letter like that before, because no one can do perfectly. I believe that on one would care about it, especially you a professor came from USA.
However, this letter I can not agree. Anyway,I support the way–talking calmly heart. Who have any problems or dislike the method,even if the English, can communicate with the teachers, which are the group we must respect for.
In China,there are many students think that when they graduate they do not have to worry about looking for work.Because they have a rich or an officer father.But this phenomenon is not familiar.Many postgraduates’ family economy is not rich.They must study hard then to find a good job.
There are some students can not understand and criticizing you.You may not be so angry,because more students like you .
There are some leaks in Chinese education system.In recently years ,in order to meet the repid development of our country, more and more students have the chances of being a college student.Most of them enter into university through their own efforts.However, some of them who can not achieve enough scores also can go to an university because their parents can pay a great deal of money to buy an admission of the college.These students think everthing can solve with money. So they will skip classes optionally,not care about their school work , even cheat in the exams and so on..Although they get a diploma when they graduate,they own only a piece of paper,not four years’ progess of study and competences .So this is a sorrow of our education.
In addition, globalization spreads every corner of the world,if you want to survive better,you must try your best to learn the most universal language—English. The old saying is multi-technology does not push the body, to grasp another skill may open a new window for you,why do you have a try? I think it is not a language,but also a bridge which you can communicate with others and the world.Moreover,we must acknowledge that culture differences exist,but we must respect them and try to understand each other,so it will be a virtuous circle of communication.
In my opinion,different person has different ideas and choices,no matter what consequences they will take by themselves,others needn’t say too much!
The student must have some misunderstanding with what your have said.I think he ,may be she,loves our China motherland .This has no doubt.But the way he express himself is not appropriate . We love our motherland but we should not insult other countries.Of course ,there are so many differences between Chnia and the USA.We should try our best to understand and accept it.
In any case,the most of us understand you .
Every coin has two sides. We should take a whole view of other people with an appreciation mind and then realize ourselves validity. The one who sent the mail to you is a student. Take it easy! I believe that every teacher received the letter like that before, because no one can do perfectly. So do not care about it too much.
I suppose you have cared it too much, Martin. It is true that the situations mentioned in this article exist in China, but it is rare. Most students are aggressive and have the desire to be successful. English is an important tool for us to communicate with the foreign world, so that we all go great length to have a command of it. And in my view, most of Chinese teachers are responsible and also try their best to pass their knowledge to their students, the same as you. So, just take it easy.
Should the student be treated as UNREACHABLE AND UNTEACHABLE? I really don not think so!Those persons whom should be treated as unreachable and unteachable must have the same characters–negative and irational.I disdain the boy whose dad was a high government offical of shanghai.So,why and what do we survive for? In my opinion,we just survive to seek the meaning of our own lives.You struggle for/enjoy your own life.Maybe your dad is an government offical or a billionaire,it is his life,he can give you nothing about your life, you must struggle for yourself.
The man who sent the anonymous email is neither negative nor irational,but he is rude and not man enough.It is ture that we chinese have some bad characters, and we should make things better.And i really oppose the bad behavior–threaten your teacher.Whats more,if pro.martin really did some bad things,i mean sth beyound the morals and low,i will share my opinion with him face to face.Maybe the writter really have good heart to our motherland,but he lost the quality we chinese treasure,the character of modest,the character of cordial,the character of having a mind as open as a valley.
Just go ahead, professor.We all have our business to do,right? Even the god can not make the world just one voice.
I think it just lacks some communication between the student and the teacher.Everyone has different thoughts about the classes and the teachers.Maybe the way that the student expresses his thought is a little crazy and extreme.He just say out what he wants to say.Maybe he should have a polite expression.It’s no necessary to take it seriously.Just forget about it.
In my opinion,everyone owns a great treasure,although they don’t know how to discover it now.So they need the help of parents,teachers and friends.But they should have a sense of responsibility.The competition in our society is more and more fierce,we must study hard for their own future.I think most stdent in zhongshan university are working hard to learn,only a very small number of them are the UNREACHABLE AND UNTEACHABLE STUDENTS
Respect and understanding come from the two but not the one.We love our country,we love our country.
To the extreme comment of the Email, I thought it’s still the problem of “The culture shock”. Because of the culture shock, maybe sometimes some Chinese student can not accept what the foreign teacher said. But thinking deeply, I believed that there are some intentions for Pro. Martin to do this during his teaching. Frankly, I really admire the student who sent the extreme email though he didn’t write down his name. Different students have their own thoughts. Communicating under conditions of equality is good for both teacher and students to understand each other well and set up a harmony condition.
Another side, I think English is just a kind of language which is the world’s common language, and we shouldn’t add too much other’s feelings or some personal views referring to the political elements. If not, I think it will deviate from the original intents. Maybe we could enlarge our visions that English plays an important role in the communication all over the world. People from all over the world could communicate more convenient and effective. For example, I had searched some literatures on certain field of the research. The papers in domestic, which were written in Chinese, were less, and most of the related papers were written in English. From then on, I realized that English was very important to us, especially when you were doing the research and needed communicating with other scientist all over the world. Based on English, we can communicate better with each other all over the world, and I believe it will be better for the academic exchange and for the science of the world.
No, I don’t think the student who sent an anonymous email should be treated as UNREACHABLE AND UNTEACHABLE.
There is some misunderstanding between both of you. The student thought you looked down upon the Chinese Education. But I don’t think he understand your article. Although his words are radical, we can’t treat him as UNREACHABLE AND UNTEACHABLE which you defined in the article.
So, please give him a chance. Maybe he is a very good student.