A Culture Of Failure - Part 2

After examining the 2B and 2G newspaper assignments, I discovered a new symptom of the culture of failure: mindless copying. Although, I have insisted, on numerous occassions, that my students give me nothing rather than force me to look at their copying, which isn't even done well, students continue to engage in this unsophisticated, infantile practice. The result is the students continue to practice counterproductive behavior that will definitely not enable them to succeed, but will certainly help them to fail. Mindless copying wastes everyone's time.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Methodist
• College
• Middle
• School
• Adolescent
• mckln
• Students
• Culture
• HK
• Hong
• Kong
• Chinese
• Failure
• Mindless
• China
• ESL
• Copy

[freeurmind2]

Assuming all students have internet/local content access, this is a sad example. Have you talked to the students or their parents about this yet? What do your supervisor/s suggest? Finally, breathe. They are after all only in Grade 2. Perhaps they don't understand yet, perhaps they'll do better next time. Or maybe they'll excel in subjects other than yours.

[mckln]

You're right. I wasn't holding onto the good at the time. I hope, as is the case most of the time, that they will improve as they physically mature.

Generally, in my experience, students don't forget, as a matter of habit, or they decide not to do it, as a matter of habit. If there is another reason, students have generally voiced that to me, instead of my having to probe them for answers. In many cases, students respond that they don't know why they didn't do the homework!

[Koyto]

Mr. woo, sorry to hear so many failure in your class, all I have to say keep up your good work. There are only a few student will make it, and I belive the HK ed. system is a problem, and not many qualifed teacher like you in Hong Kong, against Mr. Woo, good luck.

[mckln]

Thanks for the encouragement; since this video was made, I've realized the way teachers react to all of the internal and external constraints is really the base from which all of this failure emanates. Kids, always impressionable, will always have chances to transform for the better; as for those grown adults who influence them explicitly and subtly day after day, year after year, there may be no hope.

[Cutchpuck]

yes, your culture of failure is something i have observed for years. I wouldn't put the blame entirely on the students, it's the system that encourage this kind of behaviour, the ed. system, family upbringing, the HK culture. You obviously is a great teacher and you care about your students very much. Please don't be frustrated and try to work through it. I bet you will at least make a difference to your group of kids.

[mckln]

Yeah, Iwas a bit too frustrated and bewildered early on at this school, allocating blame unfairly for complications beyond anyone's direct control; the only thing I can do, I believe, is not fail myself; that is, I need to adapt myself, the only person whom I verily can impact.

[rictorn]

i am not saying that its the case here but teachers often teach things they know the pupils won't get, won't understand won't retain, in these cases we are not letting them fail passively we are teaching them how to fail