(1) Discussion: World teachers' Day
(2) Role plays: You are making a movie similar to Stories from Romania and are interviewing your partner who will be the protagonist (lead player) in your movie. You may use some of the questions in Activity 6 of the Stories from Romania worksheet, but you can also use your own questions.
Replies
Ann, to be a teacher is an honourable profession! And teachers are free too (well, I am free, I think)! But there shouldn't be any gifts on teachers' day! Why do you mention the word "alibi" in your second to last sentence, Ann? I don't understand. What has 'alibi' to do with teachers' day?!
Hi,teacher.Teacher plays an important part in our life.Teachers do have great influnce on us.What they say and what they do may effect us invisibly.
My first English teacher,who had great influnce on me.It is in the beginning of the 4th grade.We were allowed to start learning a new kind language--English.We had never contact with other language except our mother tongue.It is a sunny moring,the sun shines brightly.As the bell was rang,here came a young handsome man about twenty or more years.He came with a smiling face like a sun.Our attention transfered to him.Just like the saying goes,a handsome teacher could increase his students' interest on learning his lessons.That's right.With his sweet smile and Humor character,we finished his first lesson with great enthusiasm.We fell in love with the new lesson from then on.His teaching methods are different from other teachers.He paid more attention on our study interests.He tried his best to make us love English more and try to speak with English as far as possible.We enjoyed learning English.
Now a lot of parents give teachers gifts on Teachers' Day.Many gifts are too expensive to buy for poor family.If teacher didnot receive the gift, those students who are cannot afford the gifts may be treated worse than the others.It is very common in Chinese education.I think the best way to solve this problem is to strengthen management of education.People could try to send their blessing by many other ways.Compare with the truly heart,giving expensive gifts is not the best way.Teachers will be moved by the real spirit,not the material.Hope all of teachers and their students could get along well with each other.
Kelly, thank you for a good comment, but please don't do this to your teacher ... to comment so late at night just before the class ... You know you give long comments, and that means getting long replies! So now I need to reply to you and it's close to midnight and I know I am not as sharp as I was when I started here around 8.30pm after my evening class! :(
Well, you were so fortunate to have an English teacher already in your 4th grade! I guess he must have been a foreigner, right?! Because you said his teaching methods differed from the traditional methods! And I'm sure it was in Harbin as there are many foreigners there, right?! Well, I am happy for you as this has surely helped to shape your attitude toward English. From the beginning I noticed a different approach from you - really. Now I know why! You already had a love in your heart for learning another language. Wow, I am now even more impressed with Harbin than before!
I know that this undesirable phenomenon of gift giving is part and parcel of teachers' day in China - just as bribery is common in Chinese society (specially of course in government circles, as we all know). It is a sad situation. The only way to stop it, is simple, Kelly. The government should ban the giving and receiving of gifts on teachers' day - as simple as that. Then there would be more equality among the poorer students too. That can only be fair. Yes, the real spirit of teachers' day need to be restored; but as long as they allow gifts, it would never happen.
Hello,teacher.About the Teacher's day sending gifts phenomenons,I have my own thoughts. With the rapid development of economy and the improvement of people's living standard,education play a more and more important role . The status of teachers is raised up. Parents hope the children get the teacher's attention,As students,they want to please the teacher .So the Teacher’s Day become an active period of send gifts to teacher. Teacher's Day gifts phenomenon is contributing to corrupt the unhealthy tendency, the mind will also affect the normal growth of the students. Teacher's Day gifts is indeed expressed thanks to the teacher, transferring good blessing, but when we choose a present for the teacher, one is to fit thephase with their income level, two is not to choose too expensive gifts,.It will give the teacher too much psychological burden. Teachers should be strict with themselves, eliminate the phenomenon ofteacher's Day gifts.
Zhou Ying, you are the first student to make this suggestion ... to ban the giving of gifts to teachers. I am impressed with you! I agree totally with you that that would be the only solution when there would be no more gifts. Only then, and only then, would teachers' day get its meaning back. A teacher should be satisfied to get a 'thank you' verbally, or maybe in writing, but that should be all. As it is now, it is a shame (as far as I am concerned).
I agree with you that the celebration of teachers' day has gotten out of control, Zhou Yuqi. Lately it has become a tool to bribe teachers or teachers being unfair toward students who do not bribe. Yes, if the teachers want to be fair, they should not accept any gifts, neither demand gifts (as some do). Students should also not give gifts any longer. A teacher should be satisfied with a 'thank you' from a student; nothing more and nothing less. And all students should be treated equal and fair.
Maybe you are right about teachers' day showing some respect to teachers, Cao Hualin. If that is the case, I guess one can accept that. My biggest problem with teachers' day is that it got out of hand lately and students and parents even bribe some teachers for good scores or good treatment, or some teachers would even demand gifts from their students. Then it is no more about showing respect. Teachers should not receive any gifts, and I think students should also refrain from giving them gifts. Then they can have teachers' day!