(1) Wednesday, 4 June:
Class 1: Visit to Shoushan
As Class 2 wouldn't have class on Monday, we won't have an official class on Wednesday (except if you insist), but we'll pay a visit to Shoushan again. It would be required from each student to chat with the teacher for at least one minute about her/his plans for the summer holiday. We can do this early morning at 8pm (start of first class), or even earlier if you want to watch the sunrise. Or we can go late afternoon after the heat of the day (and maybe watch the sunset). Li Xiupeng can tell me what the class has decided.
Some students (females, of course!) suggested rather going to the beach ... I will consider that only on one condition: That the boys of Class 1 give me an undertaking to accompany me to Shoushan on a weekend before the summer holiday as I need some help there for a little task ... You can tell me also on which weekend so that we can secure that date.
Class 2:
Pse take note that you won't have an oral English class on Wednesday as you would have this class on Friday together with Class1. All students from class 2 are being invited to join our little expedition if you are not too lazy that day (we know you don't have class that day!).
(2) Friday, 6 June
a. Goodbyes ...
So, we have reached the time of the year that one foreign teacher in China never looks forward to. And this time 'round it looks like it would indeed be our very last class together ... I therefore just want to thank each and everyone of you for a great time we had together. Yes, there were times that I might have failed you and that I got upset or angry and felt obliged to 'haul you over the coals'/reprimand some of you, but despite that, I know in my heart that I enjoyed every time I'd been with you two classes. Please accept my apologies for failing you at times (especially when I got upset or angry). But I still think this was our best semester together as we have grown closer. Thank you to each of you who had made a contribution to make our classes as pleasant as it was, however small it had been. I have taken note of many such efforts. I really appreciate all of you. And I will never forget you, never.
b. Awards of Appreciation
The categories for this semester would be as follows:
Best role plays: Class 1 and 2
Best actresses and actors: Class 1 and 2 (sorry, no prizes here, only recognition!)
Best result in vocab paper: one student (or shared, if scores are tied)
Best EC comments: Class 1 and 2
Best progress: Class 1 and 2
A few 'special thank you' awards to some students - they would know why ..
c. Movie: Erya 121:
We'll end our classes by watching a truly great movie (trust me for this pse!) with an inspirational message for your life journey. There would be something in for everyone's taste (I hope!) - some action for the boys, a love story for those who like to inspire their dreams, and even a western wedding for the girls! Hope you like it.
P.S.
Xiao Hao/Li Xiupeng, can I ask you guys to please ask Maintenance (does Liao Gongda have some unit like this ..?!) to fix the first entrance door to that classroom (room 121) so that we can properly close that door and watch our movie in peace? I will really appreciate that.
Oh, and while you talk with those guys, please ask them too (I'm being opportunistic now ..!) to replace the defective globe at the light in the passage above the ATM on the first floor of Erya. I often withdraw money there after my evening classes and one can't really see what you're doing without light there (it's been like that for more than ONE year now and no one is doing something about it!); and many students would appreciate that too! Thank you.
Then I end off with my high school motto in Latin:
SOL JUSTITAE ILLUSTRA NOS!
MAY THE SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS SHINE UPON YOU!
Replies
Haha, sorry to disappoint you, Candy, but I don't like zhongzi at all! And as I am not Chinese, I am not going to eat or do something just because it is tradition and part of a festival, or because one billion others are doing it! You know me by now! But I hope you have enjoyed (again) eating it! Just be careful, too many of those would let you gain weight ..!
Bring your umbrella to protect you against the sun; many Chinese girls are doing that! And I'm sure Shoushan wouldn't mind (as long as you don't leave it behind)!
Yeah, some strict teachers even have hearts too! I'm glad you accepted this one (with all his many shortcomings) and became friends! Oh yes, you (and a certain mr Li too, if my memory serves me correctly ..!) were naughty at times in class (and disobedient actually) and tested my patience ...! Luckily for you it happened some times after I have already had an outburst with another student and then I didn't want to upset the class more. So, then I pretended not to see you playing (or sleeping, or whatever)! And of course, Sabrina always protected you by looking very intelligent next to you and often holding my eyes as if she was listening with great interest ..! But it worked! However, I will watch out for similar deceit in future! Yes, we must stay connected in future. And I may visit Dandong again one day as I like the city. I have good memories of my previous visit there. I'll appoint you as my next Dandong-tour guide! ;-)
Thank you for your kind words and giving me more perspective on how you have experienced our time together, Sun Xiaoxia. If it's meant something to you, I am happy to read that! I think (actually, I know!) I am also learning and even improving year after year and I am glad that I am able to even give you some inspiration for your road ahead. Sadly, (I am the first one to admit that) some of my past classes didn't get similar positive experiences as you mentioned to have experienced as I was struggling to find my feet in a strange (to me as foreigner) environment unfamiliar to me in the beginning (no excuse though for my inability to have been a more accomplished teacher). I don't think (and would never) I am a good teacher as some students so easily say, but I know in my heart that I had been a horrible teacher in some past years (or close to that)! I often still think of those students who had me as teacher then and didn't have similar experiences as you had. But I will continue to work on myself to improve as I believe I, as teacher, owe that to my students.
I don't think I would leave China by my own choice (except if the government decides it's time for me to go), and I still want to see more of the country as there are beautiful places here. I have been to about 18 cities so far (including of course where I worked before and here in XC), but traveling in China becomes a bigger pain every year as more people become affluent and can afford the luxury of traveling. So, I may not see as much as I would have! And yes, I still have the dream of seeing Europe one day before I get too old to enjoy it! Looking forward to hear that improved accent and pronunciation one day ..! ;-)
Thank you for the comment, Zhang Qian. Don't worry about getting tired; we won't walk that fast (and will wait for you if necessary)! I agree with you that home is the best place to be during a holiday! But I guess your mom and sis wouldn't accept that .. All I know is that Dalian would be very hot in summer (I have been there twice, and once it was in summer). So, sorry for you!
I am glad to hear that you feel there was improvement in your language skills. I also think so, as I noticed your progress. As you say, at least you can express yourself better now (and not afraid of speaking), and that by itself is already improvement! But don't stop studying English now. I realize you would be busy with your accounting studies, but that wouldn't last that long. So, continue building on what you have started building in our classes the last three semesters. You would never regret that, believe me! ;-)
Well, I prefer not to be harsh with my students, but my experience is that if I'm not like that at times, some students would never care to improve themselves even a little! So, it works with some students as may be the case with you! Other students harden their hearts against such an approach (I saw that in previous years with some classes) as they never come to realize the reason for a teacher being like that and the effectiveness of such an approach, though a little harsh at times (I admit!). Sorry for that! But, if you learned something in the process, I am glad to hear that.
I'm surprised that you remember that 'pet phrase' (as you referred to it), "change must come from the heart"! I am convinced that any country (including China, of course) would always remain mediocre countries if there is no change of heart from within that country. People's hearts are rotten and it needs change! Unfortunately many people do not see the need for change and that's why this world we live in can be so miserable to live in at times. But let's hope the eyes (of the hearts) would open and that people would change to the better! :)
I agree, love in the human heart is very important. Without love, there is no hope, and then even faith is worth nothing. If the humans of this world just had more love in their hearts toward one another, the world would have been such a great place to live in. I think that is what we as individuals should offer this world ... let them see more love in our hearts for our fellowman; let them see we care for one another.
Well, this may then be the end of learning English with a foreign teacher, but don't let it be the end of learning English by yourself ... Why throwing away what you have learned in your English classes during the past three semesters? Build on that now and do yourself the favor to continue the studying of English. You would never regret that, I can assure you. And you would be helping yourself to improve your human skills in such a way in this global world (consisting of more than just China). Good wishes to you on your road of life. ;-)
we have the last two classes together.Two years has pasted,no conscious that we have known and stayed with each other two years.It is so long .Do you think so .
Tomorrow we will climb the SHOUSHAN together.I think during the way ,we will have chance to talk to each other,no matter what about the past or now ,even the future
At last,I want to appreciate you .We have created a lot of memory .You teached me many different ways to consider the problem.Of course ,you teach and help us to practice our oral English and listening,in the process ,as far as i am concerned ,i feel that more or less ,my oral English and listening have improved .
Although our class is going to finish ,I hope if you have time ,we can keep touch with each other .We can also chat with each other on QQ,or what else.Later ,our relationship will change from teacher and student to friend,maybe until then I can talk to you more freely.Finally ,thank you teacher.
Yes, I also think you have improved your language skills from our first semester to today; I was a witness to that! Thank you for your own efforts too; and for a positive attitude (mostly)! And yes, I think I'm becoming more of a friend of my students eventually, than just being the teacher (implying a distance between us). I prefer it like that as I personally have more trust in students than in teachers. I hope the university would never expect me to change that approach! I agree that we must stay in touch, but it's going to take an effort from everyone! In the past many of my students said that, but after a while they just "disappear from the radar" though we are still linked on qq! I guess students' lives eventually just become too busy for them to remember an old teacher anymore ..! Hope Class 12 Inter Trade from Liao Gongda would proof me wrong this time 'round! ;-)
Glad to read that you would accompany us to Shou mountain; we'll look after you! I am happy to learn that you feel you have learned something during our time together in this English class. That was the aim from the beginning ... that students learn some skills, but in particular about language skills. I think you have improved quite a bit since our first semester, don't you think so?! Well done then! It was because of your positive attitude that you benefited greatly from our classes. I think the teacher must be a little proud of you ..! ;-)
Wow, you and ZQ had a nice outing while other students had to attend class; so lucky! But what do you mean with the 'car rental' story? Do you mean that the university (you're not in a school anymore!) provides transport for students to the beach? And what do you mean with the driver's exercise?! Do you mean he pedaled all the way? So, the 'car' doesn't have an engine?! Then it is no car any longer! So, you went by bicycle, or pedi-cab maybe? Now you have to reply as you have left me in the dark about your adventure!
Haha, I have no affection toward the (dirty) beach! People going there are different from those going to the mountain (though the 'mountain people' also don't care when it comes to looking after the environment) and they can clean their beach themselves! The local government of Xing Cheng spends a lot of money to develop the beach here, but not on improving the mountain paths. So, they can spend money to clean the beaches before the visitors from the South arrives for the summer holiday. And I wouldn't volunteer for that job!
Ha, looks like you have interesting plans for your holiday! Pity you can't deal with foreign businesses too as that would surely help your language skills! I also wanted to visit Tibet once, but the government doesn't want foreigners to travel there if it is not in big tour groups and then only if they've granted one a permit. Going with tour groups is very expensive. But is Tibet really that 'sacred'?! I think it may be surrounded by mysticism due to the Tibetan people's religious affiliations, but sacred ..? Personally, I'm not so sure! I think one can make any place 'sacred' if one is pure in one's heart regardless where one finds oneself! :)
Yes, I also think you have improved since our first semester together; I was witness to that! Haha, but saying that about the teacher's attitude ... I'm not sure that it was always a good example, really! You know yourself how unhappy he got at times and then ruining the class' atmosphere with that temper ... But okay, I think in general he had a positive attitude, in particular in his endeavors to help the students improving themselves! So, maybe I should rather thank you for being able to discern that actually the teacher's attitude was aimed at the advancement of the language skills of his students, because I believe that to be true! Thank you! Oh, and I am happy about my decision to stay on with Liao Gongda, not because of the university itself, but because of the students who became so dear to me during my few years here! ;-)
Well, we spent more time together in class than only one year (if the other students are correct!). Nevertheless, I am glad if you feel that you learned something positive from the class. About going to Shou mountain, you must decide yourself what is best for you and what is the right thing to do. I can't make that decision for you as I am not in your position and don't know how you feel. We are supposed to have a class today, but as Class 2 didn't have class on Monday due to the holiday, I felt it would only be fair that your class also don't have a formal lesson. I could however not give the class off, as I would then be in trouble with the university. So, those of us that can go, will still go so that I can tell the university (if anyone would ever ask me) we did have an informal class. And hopefully we would have a memorable time there too. See you Friday then if you don't make it. :)
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