Comments on: Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone.

By: sandrar

sandrar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:35:14 +0000

Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. Cheers! Sandra. R.

By: Sergejs

Sergejs — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:39:33 +0000

Nobody will steal language knowledge for you.

12 years, hmm, it is too long period.

If there is no intention to move to Germany/Austria/Switzerland (aa they have completely different dialects, even in different Germany parts), this language is not worth. English should be enough,

If you are going frequently to German to visit relatives friend, etc. (as I do), it is a bonus to understand native language.

Who knows, probably after 15 years, every one will have to learn Chinese

By: N.R.

N.R. — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:07:41 +0000

I give my full respect to those interested in the german language, but as someone who has studied it for 12 years and excelled at it (at some point), what I can say is … it’s not worth it

By: Sergejs

Sergejs — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:07:53 +0000

I’m glad that you found it useful

By: yamsri

yamsri — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:17:59 +0000

very nice explanation

By: Sergejs

Sergejs — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 15:57:49 +0000

I’m planning to go study German at Goethe. Few friends of mine were studied German there, they said that it is one of the best place to study German in Latvia. Uhm, by your description lessons are attractive too.

Indeed it is very nice, when teacher is interested in the subject, he/she has respect to students and willingness to teach them all different things.

By: jenny

jenny — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 12:57:24 +0000

Some practical examples.
We had very funny (in a good sense of this word) Physics teacher at secondary school. Sometimes we couldn’t stop laughing at her lessons. On the other way she was rather strict with marks and gave enough information. Unfortunately Physics was not my favourite subject But up to now I admire this personality.
This is about sciences, a little bit different is in languages. When I first came to Goethe Institute (to study German) I thought that it would be difficult for me to sit at about 2 hours at the lesson in the evening after work and High School. But it appears rather interesting, with some games, it was not making me exhausted, but we had good time and obtained all the information successfully.

By: Sergejs

Sergejs — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 19:26:32 +0000

Indeed it was the point of my post.

Yes, in theory your statement is true and apparent, teacher may just give the material.

However, I think in practice,
Teacher/lecturer should not teach you at all, he/she should give you material, that you should able to manage understand and learn the material. But I think that study would be more effective, in case teacher is able to give the material in the more attractive way with “live” explanations, not just ‘bu-bu-bu’ machine (like was ~80-85% of all the lectures on my university).

Probably, I had selected wrong subject to study go figure, but I really enjoyed “live” lectures, when teacher is the member of the process, not just man who gives texts without pauses and normal explanations.

Yes, you may say that lectures are going in that way, however some lectures managed to make students to participate at the lecture with 40-50-60 students (without any interruptions at the study process), such kind of lectures were great stuff.

By: Osis

Osis — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:29:34 +0000

That attitude is compeltely wrong – you cannot say that lecturer has to create interest in a student to elarn something – thats why university is higher education facility – because you , by yourself have to have interest in subject and have to study hard, otherwise there is no use for that education. In schools children have same attitude – that teacher have to teach in a way that every one in the class knows that subject. Also every education standard says that you have to know certain things in the interest sphere of the main subject and level of knowledge can vary a bit, but you have to know at least the basics of those things that where taught to you. That was my attitude when i have private lessons in math – you need it you learn it, i just provide the means and explanations if you have such, if you don’t we can study next theme. And if you do not attend – even better – i get your money for nothing.

By: Sergejs

Sergejs — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 12:59:24 +0000

Yea, I know that issue has two parts, but unfortunately we must admit
the fact, that first group is bigger with little knowledge or even
without knowledge. Of course when teacher is running ahead with new
material, that seems too obvious for him and second part of the
students, that does not produce big interest for the subject at first
group.

I know we are guilty by our-selves, but it is not possible that all the
students have basic knowledge of the things they should. As well I
accept the fact, that without student wiliness to get the subject,
communication between teacher and student is not possible. But teacher
may pull some efforts that other students would get interested at the
subject too (IMHO).