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Message board > Old story but I still need to get it off my chest!
Old story but I still need to get it off my chest!
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frenchfrog
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Old story but I still need to get it off my chest!
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Is, for the majority of you, a pretty picture + 3/4 words (ex. Happy Mother �s Day) a worksheet?
Because for me, it is not!! And I am not the only one to think that (This reassures me, I am not a monster!!!) In the word �worksheet � there is the word WORK. To me (but also to many hardworking teachers here) this word implies your PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT in the making of the worksheet, but it also suggests a series of activities (or at least one activity) that our students/pupils will DO (They will WORK, have something to DO IN ENGLISH, they will not be passive. You can colour without even speaking / writing / listening to a single word of English!!)
Again, getting 100 points for a picture (apparently scanned from a book) and 3 words is NOT FAIR. Sometimes I wish I could choose the members with whom to share my work!! I don �t want to share my work with members who upload pretty pictures!!!
One more argument: I have never mentioned it so far because I think it is the least "noble" argument I have, but maybe that is the one that will be understood!!!
I donated money twice (end of July and recently for the new server). I did not give my money to get pictures I can find elsewhere FOR FREE on the net. I gave my money to help Victor improve the site FOR US ALL and for members to keep uploading ORIGINAL WORKSHEETS (i.e. worksheets that are specific to eslprintables and that cannot be found elsewhere). I know it is not possible for all of you to donate (for different reasons) and I really understand that. I gave some money simply because I could afford and I thought it was another way of helping Victor.
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19 Mar 2009
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Anna P
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You are absolutely right! We can all find colouring pages or pretty pictures elsewhere but in eslprintables we look for original worksheets. Maybe Victor, who has so many clever ideas, could think of a way to banish printables that are not revelant to the site. |
19 Mar 2009
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frenchfrog
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I don �t think it is a question of criticizing. I think it is rather a question of being fair. It is amazing how important this word has become simply because it is gradually losing its meaning!
I have never criticized these pictures!! I even find them quite pretty! What I don �t understand is that they are uploaded without any activities for our students/pupils. And most of the time, you can have them FOR FREE elsewhere! |
19 Mar 2009
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frenchfrog
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Time is not necessary a good factor to judge the quality of a worksheet. I am convinced that you can make a good worksheet (with or without any decorations!  ) in 5/10 minutes.
But honestly, how long does it take to paste a picture? A couple of seconds? I am pretty sure it takes longer to fill in the form when you have to register the �worksheet �!!! |
19 Mar 2009
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gilorit
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Dear Frenchfrog
You are so right and I am 100% behind everything you wrote.
It is only us , members of this community, to blame- because it is us (some of the members) who download these so called "worksheets".(obviously not the serious members)
I also think that Victor has to be involved and not to publish such ws.
There are people in this site that I ADMIRE for their work - and you are one of them.
Orit
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19 Mar 2009
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frenchfrog
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I don �t blame the members who downloaded these pictures at all. These pictures are often very pretty and it is quite tempting to download them! But we are not setting a good example. I don �t think it is fair to have these pretty pictures on the same level as worksheets that offer an activity / activities for our students/pupils to do in English. There should be a difference!! And some members do not seem to see the difference between a worksheet offering the possibility for our students/pupils to improve their English and a worksheet with just a picture!! This is what I don �t understand and never will I am afraid! |
19 Mar 2009
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Pastanaga
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Hi Frenchfrog,
In my humble opinion, you �re making a big issue out of it. We shouldn �t forget this is a free website that has lots of members. And as in all communities there is people more willing to work, share and collaborate than others. Access can not be denied if the rules are not broken. I think we shouldn �t ask Victor to remove files because they �re only pictures. Yes, it �s only pics, but they might be useful to many teachers. Moreover, when you fill in the form before uploading a file you can choose "flashcard" instead of "worksheet", and flashcards are only pictures illustrating an item of vocabulary.
Why are you so upset about? Because some people only upload pictures or flashcards and they get lots of points? So, what? Are points money? I don �t understand this obsession about points, this is not a competition. Or are you angry because these people can downoad the worksheets you upload? Again I tell you this is a sharing community, but as in any human community, don �t expect to get the same you give out. That �s too idealistic. Just keep in mind that lots of people are taking advantage of your nice work (which I think is very good by the way) and feel good about it. If you don �t like the idea, just stop sharing your work, or try to get paid for it and maybe you won �t feel that bad.
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19 Mar 2009
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frenchfrog
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Yes, you are right, I easily get upset by this issue.
Thanks for giving your opinion! And you really pointed out the real problem: "lots of people are taking advantage"! I will try to simplify the situation to show how I feel: you upload a pretty picture with no activities in English, you get points for it, and then you have access to real jewels made by Pika, Jecika, Vanda, Mena, Mpotb, Domnitza, Karen, Ana, Xani, Evelinamaria, Alisadedic, Gabitza, Icha, Donapeter, and so many other members..." There should be two distinct categories: worksheets (for which you get points) and pretty pictures (for which you do not get points)
For the umpteenth time, it is not a question of points, it is a question of being FAIR.
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19 Mar 2009
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dragonfly2
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You mean a question of being fair, ACCORDING TO YOU, Frenchfrog! That is YOUR opinion which we have read and understood and which we have got to read over and over again because you just won �t stop talking about it.
I completely agree with you Pastanaga. |
19 Mar 2009
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zoemorosini
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"A frame, a
border or a single drawing is not an ESL resource. Remember that this
website is not a clipart collection."
I think this says it all.
--zoemorosini
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19 Mar 2009
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liverpuliana
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You �ve got my support, frenchfrog. I think some people are just cheeky and not hard-working and like taking advantage of other great teachers � work. I �m sorry pastanaga and dragonfly 2, but in my humble opinion you �re not right. |
19 Mar 2009
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