cheater!

I have never had so many cheaters in a class as I do this semester. They cheat on their tests, on their workbooks, on their in-class and out-of-class assignments. And the worst part is, even though I know they're cheating, I rarely manage to catch them in the act (which is so dang frustrating). Here are a few samples of their cheating:

Yesterday, a girl I'll call Sun, was absent. During class, we did a listening activity where the students had to write down their answers and turn them in. Miraculously, Sun managed to turn in both her homework and her answers to the listening part, which were suspiciously similar in correctness to all of the Koreans' answers. Hmm.

Can 4 students really all manage to misspell rehearsal in the exact same way? Really?

It's interesting that all the Koreans in class have all the same answers on their quiz. Unluckily for them, their answers are all wrong. HA.

How can you take notes on a lecture that I'm pretty dang sure you didn't attend and that cannot be found on the internet?

Of course, there are a few assignments on which I can easily dock points for cheating. Like when they have to do a summary of what they heard on the news, and the grammar is 100% perfect and the vocabulary is college level...and they clearly didn't write it themselves. It's also really fun to ask them what certain words from their summaries mean and watch them sqiurm. Or like when they're in the process of asking (in their native language) another student the answer to question #12 on the test and I happen to hear/see them right at that point. Blushing, anyone?

I know students cheat. Even good students might occasionally get a few answers from a friend. But I think foreign students cheat way more often than Americans. And they're dumb about it. If you're going to cheat, do it well. At least re-word your answers so it's not quite so blatantly obivous. Or you could just not cheat. Then maybe your English would actually improve.

on the american classroom

As a student, I had plenty of classes where the professor droned on with little to no participation from students. I had classes where we had loads of group work and classes where we had none. And I had several professors I felt completely comfortable with, a few I didn't care for, and one I completely idolized (and was naturally seized with terror any time I had to speak to her). I came to expect that in most of my major classes, there would be class discussion (though I may or may not choose to participate), and that occasionally I would have to work with my classmates. Foreign students, on the other hand, arrive to the US with little idea what to expect out of the American classroom.*

For example, they are often shocked (and sometimes appalled) to discover that in many American classrooms (especially ESL), you are usually expected to participate. No longer can students sit in class, searching the internet on their iphones or facebooking on their laptops (although they sometimes still do), for they never know when they may be expected to answer a question or break into group discussions.

They are also surprised to find that they can actually talk to their teachers. Us American professors are typically happy to answer questions after class, explain the logic behind assignments, or even just chat with students. We acknowledge that we are neither omnipotent nor omniscient (at least some of us do...the ESL teachers do). Foreign students are also surprised to find out that if they have a problem with another student in the class, they can talk to their professor. Or if they hate an assignment, they can complain about it; the instructor may not do anything, but we'll at least listen.

And, of course, group work. American classrooms are often filled with group class work, presentations, or discussions. Foreign students are often loathe to participate in group work, instead spending their time finding reasons to complain about the project, their group members, or something else totally irrelevant (maybe something they don't like about American culture...or American food...or the way the teacher hands out papers...).Which is actually quite similar to the way many American students react, except the Americans are trained to complain and the foreigners pick up on it all too quickly.

I've decided that all incoming foreign students should be informed of these things before they're thrust into the thick of things. It would make their lives a lot easier. And it would definitely make my life a lot easier. Is there anything you would tell a foreign student about class in America?

*My disclaimer: I'm sure there are many of you who never had to work in groups in your college classes or never said a word during lectures. I know you're out there. As you read this, just imagine a major where you have to be vocal. Or think about your high school classes. Or maybe grade school...

Quick! I need one of these. Or maybe one of these. Or these. Or this or this or this.

Good thing there aren't any prices listed so I can't realistically lust after the entire store.

the longest day

I awoke this morning with a feeling of dread. The feeling you get when you wake up and know there's not the slightest possibility of accomplishing everything you have to do, no matter how you shuffle your schedule or efficiently manage your time.

So I ran around all day, maniacally trying to catch up from being half a step behind. Time just slipped through my fingers. Before I knew it, my evening class had arrived, dinner was inhaled in record time, and I finished writing a test literally 3 minutes before class. Then suddenly I was home with nothing to do but take care of a 2 year old who is spending his last night of 6 at my house.

This isn't to say that today was a bad day; quite to the contrary. I did manage to get almost everything done, although my students won't actually be able to take the test they think is scheduled in the testing center starting tomorrow because I turned it in late. Ooops. Thursday promises more chaos with the upcoming ESL Halloween party I'm so lucky to be in charge of.

The highlight of the madness: I got to hear one of the greatest people ever speak at BYU, the author of Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson (I was a mere 250 people away from him). And I drank a very large and overpriced Jamba Juice. And I kept my mouth primly closed when a particular rotten student was her normal rotten self. And I wore a lovely purple cardigan, which of course made the craziness much more bearable. Had I been wearing something else, I may have shuffled off into a dark corner with slumped shoulders and hid.

a trip to idaho

Last week we went to Moscow to see Trav's parents during my fall break. While there, we took a tour of central Washington (also known as the barren wasteland) where Trav spent his early years. It's actually not that bad; I'm just more accustomed to farmland being green with fields interspersed with hedge-rows of trees rather than dry brown sage brush. Then we spent 2 days in Leavenworth, WA, a small "Bavarian" village on the east side of the Cascades. Although very touristy and rather kitschy, it was still pretty fun. Here's a picture of the main street:

My favorite part were all the signs. In order to give things a more "German" feel, the locals added German words to most of their store names. However, they didn't always bother to check to see if the words were grammatically correct. Or even German. Two of my favorites:

We also stopped at a candy factory in Cashmere, WA where they make a very strange and sometimes tasty treat called aplets and cotlets. They're kind of like Turkish delight, except not as nasty. Millions of pounds of candies are made each year in a building smaller than most houses by a staff of about 20. All hand packaged, even. They're a Zirker family favorite for Christmas...and a bit of an acquired taste.

Trav did his best to eat as many free samples as he could. He said it was all in the name of settling the family dispute about which are better: aplets or cotlets. I vote cotlets.

ESL perspectives

Yesterday my listening speaking level 4 students had their midterm exam (or at least part of it. I've been cursed of recent with the MOST horrible unsolvable technological problems. And our department tech guy is out of town. As usual). Part of the their exam was an oral interview where they were asked their opinions on the following questions:

1. Do you like/dislike President Obama? Why?
2. What is the biggest issue Americans have to deal with today?
3. What can Americans do to improve their relationships with foreigners.

Most students liked Obama. One girl from Tajikistan said she liked him even though he was black. Even though? She was quite surprised that a black man could amass that much power and then end up elected and a good president. One Korean didn't like him because he is black. One Mexican liked him because he is black and his parents were immigrants, just like her. Because the Koreans usually have no idea who is president in their own country, they had even less of an idea about ours. Case in point: a few semesters ago we were discussing American government vs other forms of governments, and none of the 12 (South) Koreans in the class could tell me if they vote for a president or if the military is in control of their country or if they have a divinely chosen reincarnated king...

America's biggest issue is either dishonesty, laziness, or the economy. Ooo, and housing costs. Houses should be cheap for all! One girl thinks the recession is due to people watching too much cable tv instead of getting a job.

Americans can improve relationships with foreigners by "hanging out." Or by not giving the Koreans mean looks when the Koreans try to speak and you have no idea what gibberish just came out of their mouths. Or by being 100% blunt: if you think it, say it (Unsurprisingly, this came from an Armenian student..remember the wrinkle comment?). Being blunt would solve social, economic, and military problems. But, as this girl has noticed, it might not get her an American boyfriend.

I really love my students.

Tonight I feel flustered. I've been having some difficulties with a particular ESL student and just read an email from her that basically told me she hates my class, my class assignments don't improve her English, and that she thinks I do my best to make the Korean students crazy. I promptly directed a feisty reply telling her exactly what I thought of her bad attitude and rudeness (don't worry, it was direct, but still polite). I know everything I said was perfectly justified; she's the one with the problem, not me. And I know that not all of my students are going to love everything I do in my class. Or that they're not all going to love me. I know these things. But it's just so disheartening when I put my best ideas and best effort forth, and someone, or worse, several someones, hate them. In my mind it means they hate me. And I should be ok with that, but apparently my tough "rhino skin," as my mom always called it, hasn't really grown in yet. I'm too sensitive for my own good.

So after an episode like tonight, all of my ambitious and creative ideas are beat down into submission, and I think maybe it would be better to just stick to the books. Why try doing anything interesting if everyone is going to hate it (ie hate me). I now feel flustered and upset and anxious and generally in turmoil. And I hate that almost more than I hate when people hate me.

Feis #2

This weekend was my second feis, pronounced "fesh" (my first one was in June). I danced 5 different solo dances: 3 soft shoe and 2 hard shoe. The hornpipe (a hard shoe dance) was dreadful. I was so terribly nervous that I would start at the wrong moment that when I actually did start at the right time, I didn't trust myself and started dancing really fast to try to make up for it...throwing my rhythm for the rest of the dance. Blech. But I managed to pull off 2 firsts and a third in my soft shoe dances. Hurrah!

This is my dancing friend Jessica who has the most amazing calves you've ever seen. Her leaps are spectacular.
And these are my medals. They're much less impressive than the last feis. If any of you have small children who want a costume prop, let me know. Oh, and don't mind the nasty looking wall behind me. That's what happens to plaster when it's covered by 60 years of wallpaper.

Adjustments

It appears I've forgotten what it's like to live with a man. (I guess technically it hasn't been that long- 6 weeks most recently, but I don't really count the month I spent in Memphis with Trav as real life. It was more like vacation. So really it feels like about 5 months). Here's what I'm rediscovering:

• The toilet seat. For nearly seven years, I almost never ever said a word about putting down the toilet seat. T-rav naturally did so, and I was naturally pleased by it. And then he spent 6 weeks living with a bunch of single guys and suddenly he doesn't remember the toilet seat exists (which was quite shocking to my bottom at 3 am).
  
• I actually don't wash my cars as often as I should, even though my excuse of imminent rain storms seems perfectly valid to me.
• I actually can't (or shouldn't) go anywhere I please at any time I please. I should probably tell my husband if I'm flitting off to hang out with a friend or go to the grocery store or work out or whatever. Even if it's only to be courteous.
• Boys can't live off of cereal.
• Sharing a bed can be pleasant. But having a queen sized bed to yourself might be more pleasant.

a little help

I'm not sure why I'm putting this up here on my blog since I never post often enough to get people to actually read my blog...but it's important so I'm going to anyway.

There's an international student from UVU (well actually she graduated a few months ago, but we still claim her) who is slowly but surely dying of leukemia. Dying, unless she gets a bone marrow transplant asap. But, being Mongolian and a student, she doesn't really have the kind of insurance that is going to pay for something like that.

Read her story here. And then maybe you could spare a few dollars to contribute to the $350,000 she needs for her surgery.