More Changes!

Yesterday was a tough day in the information department as well as the teaching. First of all I was exhausted from not sleeping at all the previous night, and to top it off, I had try to get my students to stop asking about the test from last week and to focus on the lesson at hand.

The lessons are now very difficult, and they are struggling a lot. They have to start to become comfortable with guessing and not relying on me as the teacher for the answer. They also have to start giving their opinion; this is something that is even part of the books that we use (not just what I think they should do). For example, one of the exercises was about the punk style. They were shown a picture with the caption: This style is called punk (which they all immediately wanted to go look up). It was popular during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Question 1: Have you ever heard of punk?
Question 2: What do you think of the punk style?

We talked about the questions for a few minutes. Then the students wanted me to write the answer on the board. I tried to explain to them that I couldn't because it came from them. So, I just gave in. I wrote in big letters YES/NO!! and told them they needed to choose one...some of them got it, many didn't!

Then came the news that there is a test already produced for the vets class (after we had put about an hour into making one). This was good news it meant we didn't have to worry about it anymore. There was also a listening portion for the test for the university students! No more worries about that part anyway!

Then we got the news that they want to split the two vets classes into three and add in the mothers class that I was previously teaching. This low level class with the lowest students from these two classes and the seven or so mothers (who are much lower than those). We will have the same problem we were having when we decided to integrate them into the other mothers class; only there will be more of them...making it so much more fun...

Of course we can't just look at scores of the students; we need to look at gender as well. The students must all be female as this is what the mothers want. This is going to make the split even worse! Of course, I am going to ask if I have to teach them; I am actually thinking that I will outright refuse to teach them. How are they supposed to think I am going to feel if I have to teach a class that is made up specifically to exclude men? Especially since I am not married and of marrying age. It seems to me that it would be uncomfortable for them as well (though they may not feel that way). I am very upset that they are even thinking about doing this, anyway. They need to have a set policy and follow it. Either t they are going to do segregated classes or they are not. People say we have to follow the culture here, but we already teach integrated classes at the adult level, so it is no longer a matter of culture. AND we are teaching them to start thinking for themselves, which is also a matter of changing a culture. IF they are willing to change culture in this way, then to say that "at our school you must agree to attend integrated classes" does not seem too far of a stretch. There is no such thing as "value free education".

At least I was finally able to sleep last night...so I feel a little better today. I am going to talk to the dean again about some of these things, as well as the whole purpose thing which I have not mentioned here yet. Perhaps I will write again and complain about that as well!