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Tonight I really feel bad. I�m working in a primary school for adults, and it�s being very hard to do it. My students have family, drug, alcohol, violence problems (as I posted last night) and sometimes I even feel fear when I�m working. There remain only two classes this year so I decided to prepare something fun, like a song. Last night I asked for help here because I needed a song with the Present Continuous. Many teachers helped me, and I could prepare the activity. Tonight, I went to class, and I could do nothing, they behaved so badly, that I anded up writing exercises on the board, shouting, trying to control them...and of course they didn�t work and even one of them cursed me. And two of them fought hitting themselves.
Then I came home, and the news on television were terrible, and I thought... "my students will end like that", they consume drugs, steal and everything you can imagine, and you know what? They don�t live in a far area or in the country, they live right in the city, I live among them and all the people like them.....so I wonder...
When will it end? and How?
What can we do to solve this situation?
Where? Who? When? What? Why? etc etc etc etc and all the questions you may imagine.
I�m so sad....... I�m only 23 years old, and feel desperate with the life WE live, I�m planning to marry, but really, I wouldn�t bring a child to this world....unless it all changed...which I doubt.
Don�t give up. You are making a big difference with your ss eventhough it might feel hopless sometimes.
Your ss come from a very tough environment and have an extremely difficult life.
Don�t let negative experiences affect your personal life. Thank God the there�s a lot more goodness in the world than evil. Otherwise the world wouldn�t be able to function.
Don�t give up. There�s always light at the end of the tunnel.
Keep on going!!!! Life is beautiful but sometimes it tries to see what we can do in tough conditions!!! Be a fighter!!! ( You can listen to Cristina Aguillera�s song to cheer you up!!!)
yesterday was my birthday, and maybe this could help you. i am working with kids, they are 5, 6 or 7 years old. when i arrived to the classroom all of them hug me. it was a beautiful feeling i tell you this because sometimes you will have lovely moments in your english classes, there is not anything wrong if you feel frustation sometimes, but do you know what is terrible? to think you are not able to change at least for a second this sad world into your dreamed one. good night and think about my words.
First of all; THANK you ALL for downloading my ws after I sent an sos onthis site! YOU are ALL so GENEROUS! THanks.
Now for you Anita:
Your message relly touches me as much as the one you wrote yesterday. You are a very lovely person... very authentic and generous... ThIS is the most wonderful present for those people whom you are teaching: They have lost faith and hope They are desperate because life goes withut them....The only thing they have and own is problems and difficulties with life. You alone can�t change everything ... You must accept this fact but you can change a few things , maybe for one or two but if you do so , it is already a miracle! The smiles you have given them, the encouragements , the care...even if you shouted at them!They will remember your kindness and generosity.... We don�t know , as teachers, how we affect our pupils: one word, some active listening...and it opens up a window in their life of darkness! Don�t give up hope! Don�t give up your confidence ! All children of that age( and especially the one you teach) would need special care and attention from social workers, psychologists to help them grow up..;; So dn�t feel guilty and don�t feel angry at them:�Pass the hand� as we say in French! Lots of kind thoughts to you Anita. Write on this site and you will find help!
Hi again!
Yes Mariethe, I know that here I�ll find kind people, always helping one another. Thanks to all of you for your comments, I know I�m young, and probably knowing that helps me to go on, if not what am I going to do in ten years time?. But really, I�ve been bearing this situation the whole year, at first I wanted to quit, but I thought I should try to improve this, but it hasn�t . Probably I�m too enthusiastic, and when I face reality it really knocks me down. Today I got tired, tired of working hours and hours preparing classes which are useless, tired of trying to be "just a bit" respected by my students, and trying to make them realize how bad they behave, tired of the situation my country is facing, both economic and social aspects. And of course I�ve been keeping my feelings inside until they exploded, and this a place where I fell good when expressing my feelings.
Donapeter, I don�t lose hope, and I still believe I better world is possible, it�s just that it will take long until things improve, at least here in Argentina, where authorities (teachers included) are not respected, children at very young age start steling, consuming drugs and KILLING people (they are children!!!), and I can�t go out of my hous without previously checking if the street is safe.
I won�t give up, I have many years before me, and I hope to see good changes in the world. Meanwhile, I�ll continue working as always, next time I�ll take a new lesson to the school, and I�ll try to do it fun as always....hoping that one day, my students really pay attention to me, respect me, respect themselves, and try to change their lives for good.
HI! My name is Irina. I have been teaching for 17 years already. You should not take it personally. It seems to me your students do not know other life. The thing is- what I often do to motivate my students- is to show, that English can open many doors to them for better life. They do not know about it. You can try to offer them a better life. I think it can be a good idea to talk to them (not in English), I mean in your native language and to explain that this is their chance to get out of the life they live and to achieve something. To get a better life, a good job, a normal family, to earn money enough to live and You- are their chance to get it. English - is their ticket to normal life.
Hello Anita, I really feel for you, but can only agree with the other comments on this subject. Don�t give up. Keep smiling. Life really does have its good points even if you have to fight for them sometimes.
Dear Anita, I do like what Irina wrote! "To get a better life, a good job, a
normal family, to earn money enough to live... You- are their chance
to get it. English - is their ticket to normal life."
As we sail through life,
don�t avoid storms and rough waters.
Just let it pass.
Just Sail.
Always remember,
Calm seas never make skillful sailors.
I�m working in a primary school for adults, and it�s being very hard to do it. My students have family, drug, alcohol, violence problems (as I posted last night) and sometimes I even feel fear when I�m working. There remain only two classes this year so I decided to prepare something fun, like a song. Last night I asked for help here because I needed a song with the Present Continuous. Many teachers helped me, and I could prepare the activity. Tonight, I went to class, and I could do nothing
, they behaved so badly, that I anded up writing exercises on the board, shouting, trying to control them...and of course they didn�t work and even one of them cursed me. And two of them fought hitting themselves.
