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ESL Printables,
the website where English Language teachers exchange resources:
worksheets, lesson plans, activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If
you want to download you have to send your own contributions.
Now, I am
probably going to be highly unpopular today for expressing how I feel about
certain things that have been going on lately. However, I know that there are a
lot of other members out there that are just as disappointed as I am and haven�t
the nerve to say what I am about to say...
Firstly, I
want to say that the focus of this site, the generousity that I first felt when
I joined up here has disappeared exponentially. There is less generousity, less
sharing, less wanting to help others like there was before. Now, quite often, I see
on the forum people pointing fingers, belittling each other, accusing one
another of something, telling new people that they should read the rules but
not giving them a true welcoming to the site.
We have
lost the dignity that was once ours. We tell others that they aren�t worthy to
be on the site. We use veiled comments to insult others. We accuse others for using an idea from
somewhere or from somebody without making doubly sure of our accusations. We
are acting as judges and, at times, jury too.
I have also
felt at times that according to some on the board that others here are less �worthy�
to be on the site because they don�t moderate � i.e. report worksheets and then
vote on them. But what about all those members that answer grammar questions,
take the time to help out the new members, offer up advice and help; and even
worksheets to people that are in real need of points?! Are they not an
important part of this site too? I think that they are � in fact, they are what
this site is truly about � �helping each other and sharing�.
The site is
slowly getting an �elitist� feeling to it and I am sadden when I see comments
in the reported section about �poor quality, just a simple �whatever� that
anyone can do ...etc..� THOSE types of comments are very elitist... You are saying
that people who are not talented or creative do NOT deserve to be among us and
that really makes me wonder if I want to be part of a site like that? When I joined
up, my first worksheets were crappy but I got better with time and I really do
believe that this feeling of tolerance has faded somewhat and now only great looking
worksheets �are wanted� or allowed to be part of the site.
I might be
wrong in my assumption but if anybody has really noticed - a LOT of older
members have stopped participating in an active way. I also know that I am with
some of them in that the feeling on the site has changed � and not necessarily
for the better...
But in the
end, we all do what are conscious dictates and I honestly hope that people
start speaking up for what they feel is right and stop clambering upon the band
wagon because they don�t want to rock the boat. The boat sometimes needs to be
rocked and today I am rocking it.
I appreciate that you have the heart of saying what �s on your mind and probably other people �s mind.
Some days, the forum and the moderators � pages are tougher to handle. I don �t leave much comments on the reported page anymore but I go and vote.
I love debates. I love reading threads where opinions differ as long as the debate is done with respect in mind, which is not always happening but again... I can choose to stay away from those.
However, some days are so wonderful. I see people posting sites they �ve discovered. I see people sharing expertise in grammar questions or other types of questions.
I choose to wear pink glasses and see the good. I �ve made wonderful friends here, you included Zora, and that is far more important than bickering and judging other people �s work.
Let �s go back to the true purposes of the site: sharing.
I absolutely agree with you, Zora. Many nice people here answer promptly to questions and give support when someone is depressed and that makes you feel much better and also that sometimes the problems we experience everyday are not that uncommon! Even if the only support you can give is showing your sympathy, you have already brighten someone �s day. This all should be about "helping each other and sharing".
Zora... what else can I tell you that I had not told you this morning?
I congratulate you for being brave and express you opinion... opinion that I totally support and I know some others too (it is just that some of them feel a bit "scared" of doing so)
I miss the "old ESLprintables", full oj joy, friendship, etc... this site used to be very friendly, full of friends... every now and then, someone started a thread thanking God for having found this site, now, the threads are about "am I breaking a rule? / you are a thief, you do not have any right to speak like that becasue you are a thief / shame on you / what do you think about this thief?... bla bla bla"
I`ve seen the dissapointment in many members here, I used to send pms to the authors whose wss had been reported as copies or as non ESL resources, etc etc... to warn them and I saw the dissapointment and FEAR in all of them, some members sent me the links of their new contributions asking me: will it be deleted?
I felt blue because now everybody is afraid of commiting mistakes, new members get terrified and ask frequently if they are breaking the rules...
I do not like this my friends, I do not like to see the fear in members. Actually I have uploaded a couple of wss in the previous weeks and I was afraid of breaking a rule, me, an old member...
I do not support thieves, I do not support cheaters, I am only a member who does not contribute that much to this site, but something is true: I love this site a lot.
I dislike to see a forum full of negative threads, I just think that if we see something unfair we should report it to Victor and that �s it, who are we to behave as judges? Are we better members than others because we spend hours deleting stuff? becasue we have more than 10,000 points?
Do you think that is good for the site? do you think we feel comfortable reading that? do you think that brings benefit?
I �m in total agreement with you Zora. I have been a member of this site almost from the start and I have seen how the tone of comments has changed. Some of which I can live without.
The main purpose of this site is to share and to exchange ideas, but more and more often instead of sharing ideas and experiences, we are sharing accusations.
Let �s go back to the true spirit that this site is supposed to represent.
I really love this site. I don �t have much free time but whenever I can I have to see what �s new... I don �t waste my time looking for some information any more...I have new ideas thanks to our dear members...we all learn a lot here...about everything...maybe this should be another important lesson...
I agree with everything people have said here. I personally feel some people feel they own the site and can accuse and threaten with Victor to any member! When I first joined the site I was helped through pms by two lovely members.. Whenever you post something, you get almost ignored and those threads like the one today get loads of replies. ..
I cannot say how much I have learnt since I joined this site... So many creative people, so many hard-working souls... I admire work of many contributors, feel a little bit jealous when I see all those wonderful ppt games (not able to make them now...), so I download them quite a lot... But I am sure, whenever I need help, someone will help me... I have received so many nice PMs from newbies when I offered my piece of advice... I believe this site is a heaven for all teachers willing to learn (from others), teach, help and love :-)
I wish a beautiful morning, afternoon or night to all ! Life�s great !
