(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
I didn't realize that it will be our last class.We have been in class for one and a half years.I know you always make enough preparation for every class from your materials on the website.For example,you can take the quantity of students into consideration and divide us into several groups before we have a role play. I can know how much you pay on us,including time and energy.And in the three semester,I guess all the students in class one and class two make progress.There is no doubt that we benefit from your classes,not only in listening,speaking and writting,but also in life lessons.You also teach us how to behave.What's more,we share our own stories with each other.In this way,we can know more about others ,and we can understand your culture and you can understand ours.Besides,I wanna say something about the form of your classes.We have role play , video class ,music class and so on.I like role play very much. Because it can interest us and appeal us to join it ,which does help to our oral English.I think it is a success.All of us enjoy the class we have together in my mind.Thank you for what you did for us.
Although we will meet not frequently as before,we won't forget you,and will miss you.I am very happy that we have so much memory.Hope that everything goes well in our future.
I have a bad piece of news. I have an examination this Friday.It start at 8:00 am ,but I don't know when it will end. Maybe I can't take the class that day. I call the driving school to ask if I can take the exam on another day.They say I can't do that. So I have to go there.It is in Suizhong,not in Xingcheng. It takes me about two hours to cover the distance. If it ends early, I will return as soon as possible.Even so,I can't have class on time.In fact,I didn't miss any class in the three semesters. Especially I don't want to miss the class on Friday,our last class,you know.What a pity if I miss it.So,could I apply to join the class if I return before the time when our class is over? I am sorry.
Nicole, you must be the only student who didn't realize that we have reached our last class! And then it appears that in all probability you're going to miss it! So, sorry to hear that you're not going to be here. Forget about trying to get back on time; if you would be 2 hours' drive from here, there is no way that you would be back on time even for the end of the class. One thing that I however still have to figure out, is why students try to get their drivers licenses during their sophomore year knowing that they do not have as much time as they would in their last two years ..?!
Happy to read that you liked the format of our classes. As I planned that we'd do role plays this semester for the oral score, I thought we should have more role plays in preparation, and eventually it appeared to have paid off as the final role plays went off quite well. And I am also glad that you had some other positive learning experiences too and that you made some progress (like many of your classmates). I agree with that as I think I noticed your progress! So Nicole, it appears that we won't see each other tomorrow; so, thank you from me for your (always) positive attitude in class and your quality contributions. Let's keep in touch! ;-)
yeah,you are right.I do can't come back on time even for the end of the class. I came back at 12:30 today.It was so late. I feel so bad. How I want to take the class and to see you! But I can't. In fact,we students get our driver licenses during sophomore because we had too much lessons in the past years and we will be busy next year. And thank you for your approval of my performance in the class.I am very glad that you think so.And I received your gift as a reward.Thank you very much. Let's keep in touch. o(*￣▽￣*)ゞ
Yes, I was also disappointed that you couldn't attend the class, Nicole, because I have always valued your presence as one of the most positive and pleasant students. But I guess we don't have control on all of our lives (especially not in China), and I have to accept that. I will however dearly miss your father's little princess! :)
Yes, I noticed that you and your roommates did quite well in the vocab paper, and that really impressed me (though your score was slightly lower ..!). Well, watching English movies and songs (with the lyrics) would surely help, but don't neglect your reading and even communication we are experiencing here on this website. I am convinced that our students' participation here was to their benefit and helped in their overall improvement. So, don't neglect the latter!
Yes, Liu Yan, we are friends; there is no doubt about that! All my students eventually become my friends (if they choose to, of course). I am happy to read that you feel you got some positive things from our classes. I hope you are also satisfied with your own progress? Then I am very grateful to you and the other 3 'assistant teachers' (!) who helped those 4 students most of the time. I don't believe their progress is because of me, honestly; it is because of your selfless assistance for which I am very grateful. But I disagree with you about that 'good' teacher stuff, because I know the truth! I was just very fortunate to have had 4 wonderful assistant teachers (most teachers don't even have one)! Yes, we must keep in touch. ;-)
Correction, Li Zhenling ... it is not a film lesson; it is a movie to express gratitude to the students for their efforts during the past semester! I agree, our goodbyes don't have to be final as we should keep in touch afterwards. However, my experience from many other classes is that it is very easy to forget an old teacher (or even a young teacher ... according to blue eyes) ..! But Li Zhenling, I am not a good teacher just because you (or whoever) say that - because I know the truth! I know this teacher very well; so, I know! Maybe he is a hardworking teacher, or one that tries his best, but that is the closest to your description. I know! Oh, and I will always remember you, and miss you and your classmates; really! ;-)
I'm glad to read that you got along well with your classmates and even the teacher, Yang Jiandan. Hope you have also made some progress in your language skills which might assist you in your career. But rest assured, if you won't continue the language-learning process by yourself after this, you will lose all that you have learned. So, I hope you would give this some serious consideration before making a final decision on your English ...!
Your comment was not late, Camille; you have time till Friday morning before class as this post covers the whole week (and besides, tomorrow's class does not include a lesson!). Hope I'll understand your views ... let's see!
As I told you yesterday coming from the mountain, I do not necessarily love China so much; I am in love with China's students who are the real China to me. If I can't have the students anymore, I will have a meaningless life here and then I will leave. It is my hope that I can always be with China's children (meaning University students). And yes, I would like to remain in China for the rest of my earthly life as I believe that the One who guides my life has put China in my heart. But to me the beauty of China doesn't lie in her beautiful landscapes, it lies in most (not all though ..) of her people - and closer to me, I see her beauty in her students.
If I ever go South one day, I will look back in my records to see which of my students are in some cities I may visit and I will contact them through qq and will try to see them. And if I don't go directly to Shanxi, I can always make it part of the itinerary! So, I hope we may meet again one day. So, thank you for the kind words, Camille; knowing you a little, I know you shared from the heart. Rest assured that this teacher would also never forget his Class 12-students who all became very precious to him. :)
Yes, I agree that your partner did very well to assist you so diligently. You are right to thank her here! I am of the opinion that all 4 those "assistant teachers" in your class can take the credit for the improvement of yourself and your other 3 friends. They were indeed selfless in their actions in my classes. I am very grateful. All 4 of you impressed me with your role plays. I had the impression that you have all prepared well. Thank you for the positive attitudes and efforts. I am glad to read that you have gained from our classes. As I said to one of your friends, don't throw away what you have diligently learned in class the past semesters. Do yourself the favour and continue the English-learning process after this semester, however difficult it may be. You would never regret it. And may you too be successful and blessed on this road of life ahead of you. :)
You are welcome, though I am of the opinion that your partner helped you more than the teacher ... Honestly. Be a clever girls now and don't throw your English away ... One day there will be a demand for English-speaking girls in Tibet and then you, Bai Ma and Yi Xizhuoma would be there to help them ... Remember what I often said (okay, ask your partner then ..!), "English unlocks the world to the student". ;-)
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