(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
Thank you for the reply. You know the students all deserved those awards. The only pity about awards (and it did worry me much), is that only a handful of students can get it. Many students have deserved those awards too, but it is impossible to give one to each. The only hope I have (in such an uneven and unfair situation), is that the rest of the students would be happy with me for those students who eventually had been awarded. Oh, and I am looking forward toy meet you one day to claim my hug that I missed on Friday; I would definitely not forget (as I like hugs very much)! ;-)
Yes, I know about the holiday as we don't have any classes today! I agree with you that zhongzi is definitely not nice! I stayed indoors today and I'm happy that I was given no zhongzi by my students to eat! But I am glad to read that you could spend a happy time with your parents.
I hear what you say about all the trouble making comments here. I really appreciate that. And I did notice that the quality of your comments has improved substantially from a few weeks before the end of last semester. I am happy that you and quite a number of your classmates have really put in some good effort when making comments. I saw the general improvement. Pity that you couldn't express you always as you wanted to (many students have the same problem!). I often have the same frustration in some classes when I wanted to tell my students something, but I couldn't as I know not many (if any) of them would understand. To have a common language is so important for communication with the rest of our world's people; and therefore I am so glad for English as the current global language as without that, I wouldn't have been here!
I didn't know your father is a teacher too; and even you yourself have a foretaste of what it can be like! I believe it to be an honourable profession, and as we are responsible for young people's lives as we teach, so much more is the responsibility to do ones best in shaping them for the future. Unfortunately, we are all human and we err frequently. I, for one, am very much aware of my own shortcomings (you've witnessed many of those), and I know I could have made a better job had it not been for those shortcomings. But if you and your classmates have learned some things while we've been together, I am happy for that. Yes, we may not have class together anymore, but we may see one another on campus at times, and maybe we can even visit Shoushan together again one day! And I agree, I think we've become more than teacher and students - friends forever! ;-)
Well, if you want to see a funny movie, pse don't come to class as it is not! Sorry for being too serious a teach, I guess! I am however showing a funny movie to Class 13 Thursday morning; so, if you prefer to attend that class, you are welcome ..!
I don't mind when we'll visit the mountain, whether morning or afternoon. I'm waiting on Li Xiupeng to tell me what the class' decision was. Maybe we can go two groups ... I am prepared to go with both groups as I am a fit teacher! About the awards, I can give you a hug for a reward, no problem; but what would the reward be for?! ;-)
I'm glad if you have learned something in our times together. Please don't stop working on your English now like most students would do (I know!). Do yourself the favour and keep on learning as one day you may need it to communicate with the world outside of China (as China is not the world!). Please don't make the mistake many Chinese students make and now bury English. Oh yes, and you'll still be here on the campus for another two years; I'm sure we'll see each other again! :)
It is a very joyful thing that having another chance to climb Shoushan with you.I want to have more chance to communicate with you on the occasion.
I really don't want to accept the truth that we will say goodbye to each other.But there is no method to change it.It's really make me sad.
Wow,this semester also have awards to us.that's so sweet.Who will receive awards of this time?Maybe we can only know it in next Wednesday.I will wait and see who are lucky fellows.
I am really curious what film you prapared for us.The film is described very splendid.Hope it won't let us down.
Say you in next Wednesday.Have a good Dragon Boat Festival.Its Chinese name is Duan Wu Jie.(端午节)However,Dragon Boat is not mean Duan Wu but Long Chuan.(龙船)The reason is that on that day,rowing dragon boats are a tradition.But in Northeast maybe you can't see that scene.Maybe in South China you can see it.But nowadays,I also don't know whether have a match of dargon boats in South China.After all it is just a tradition.
Yes, it's that time of the year ... But the prize-giving would not be on Wednesday as Class 2 also get prizes and they would only be present on Friday. So, we'll do that Friday. About the movie, I know it wouldn't let us down! It is a very good movie; I just hope the students would be able to follow it, as that is important to understand the dialogues. There are subtitles, but can all students read that fast (if their listening is not so well) ..?! Let's wait and see. Pse remind Li Xiupeng to contact me before Wednesday to tell me what the class has decided about the time and where we would go. Thanks. And enjoy your festival too! ;-)
Oh,forgive me for I just now saw what have you said.
And I think he have told you about that thing so maybe I needn't to remind him again.
I know it is on Friday.
Wow,I think I can understand what acted on movie by the caption.
But if there is no caption,I think I will only know a little thing what have they said.
Thanks John.
See you in tomorrow afternoon.
No, mr Li hasn't made contact with me yet. I am waiting! But knowing the old boy, I think he's waiting till the last day and I would hear from him tonight ..!
Btw, it is not, "caption" ... Use - and learn - the word, "subtitles", which means - "the printed translation at the bottom of the picture in a film with foreign dialogue". ;-)
Oh,I'm thinking your guess is absolutely right.
And now I realize you have finished the negotiation with him.
Maybe the word provided by you is more precise than mine.
Possibly because my English word book is English to Chinese.
Maybe if I learn a English word book in English to English,I will understand words even better.
Maybe I shouldn't say Dragon Boat doesn't mean Duan Wu.
I should say Dragon Boat pronounce Long Chuan in Chinese.
However,Dragon Boat Festival pronounce Duan Wu Jie in Chinese.
It's just today,2rd Jun.
Happy Dragon Boat Festival,John.
Yes, from your score last semester it was clear to me that you didn't do any preparations! But this semester you have doubled your score from last time. I'll list the results later tonight.
I agree we should go to Shoushan and I like Shi Ning's suggestion of possibly go later afternoon to watch the sunset together. I'll wait to hear the final decision from Li Xiupeng. I myself have been on Shoushan 50 times or more, but I have stop counting now! I love Shoushan! But I am a little worried about Shoushan as the many people visiting the mountain during spring and summers are slowly doing some damage to the paths (nit even to mention the littering). Many of those visitors are from our university, but what worries me most, is that the new university at the foot of Shoushan starts next semester and I can already view how many of those students would stream up Shoushan and I'm not sure whether Shoushan would be able to 'carry' so many people visiting (specially if they don't care for Shoushan). I guess we have to wait and see.
Thank you for those nice words. Of course I have forgiven the class long ago after every thing that had gone wrong! But don't make a mistake, I didn't blame the class for everything that had gone wrong, as some things happened because of our cultural differences, and some things because of the students not following what I said as they didn't understand (and didn't ask!). I will often blame myself when I have fall outs with one of my classes (it happens to every class ..!) as I am very aware of the fact that my reactions aren't always correct (specially when getting upset or angry ... ). I believe I am one of the most imperfect teachers, and then I have this 'Achilles heel', this temper ... which I abhor. But then, I am so grateful to my classes who have always been so forgiving despite my shortcomings. Sometimes I felt that I wasn't deserving of your respectful treatment. Nonetheless, I am glad if you feel that our classes were meaningful to you. I am trying to make a difference and to build something positive into my students' lives, and the day I don't succeed in doing that any longer, I know I have to quit teaching.
And finally, as with your classmates, Wendy, I will dearly miss you too. :)
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