Showing posts with label students say. Show all posts
Showing posts with label students say. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Students Say...

My middle-level sophomore class made my day today. It's a class full of boys and they've been pretty quiet all semester, but now that we're on the downward slope of the semseter, they've warmed up to me and class is getting more and more fun!

Today, we talked about shopping and budgets. I had them each come up with one big item that they needed to shop for: a camera, a new phone, a car, a backpack, whatever. 

"Ok guys, now think of something you need, not just the example on the page. What are YOU looking for? Write it down. Ok now split up with your partner and take turns being the store clerk and the shopper. Ready? Go." 

One of the role play conversations went like this: 

Student A: "Hello, may I help you?"
Student B: "Yes, I am looking for... a girlfriend." 

There's a store for that?? What have I been missing?? 

...

They needed to compare two models of whatever they wanted to buy, using comparative adjectives and such, so we compared the Galaxy S4 to the iPhone 5 as a class. It was fun to see them get so animated while arguing about different qualities! 

"iPhone is easier to use" "No, Galaxy is easier!" "iPhone is lighter than Galaxy." "No it isn't! Look..." *takes out phone, hands it to a student with a Galaxy* *student pretends it weighs 5 kg or something ridiculous* "Ugh! So heavy! Mine is not heavy. See?" *hands them both to me* 

...

One of the boys was "shopping" for a new car. He started to talk about a Kia Pride being a classic car and I was all like "WHAT??? That's what I drive!!" And he was like "Oh really? Very good car. Sexy. Classic." "Ummm... we must not be talking about the same car." *shows him a picture of my poor Sarabi* "Yes! Very nice. I like this car." He googled pictures of a nice Kia Pride that is still in good shape and his opinion made more sense. I told him I'd sell him mine after finals and he joked back that mine was broken so mayyyyybe he doesn't want it. "Zara, your car... I buy... then it breaks and I pay more money... five dollar, ten dollar, one hundred dollars." EXACTLY. But still. One of my students thinks my car's sexy! No one's ever said that about Sarabi before. Yesssss! 

...

It was a fun class, which I didn't really expect today! I mean, we ended the lesson by talking about budgets. That's not exactly LOL material (and I kinda felt like a fraud teaching about budgets, but it's an important part of adulthood!) It's always nice when students will joke around with you. It seems like I haven't gotten that as much this semester as I did last semester, but maybe that's changing now that midterms are over and we've gotten to know each other more. The chemistry in every group is different, so I just figured my students this term weren't as goofy or relaxed as they were last time. I'm really relieved to see that that might not be the case. 

At any rate, we're on the downhill slide toward Christmas! CHEERS! 

Monday, September 30, 2013

Professor Princess

Y'all. I have a student who has been calling me Princess for a few weeks.

I thought I must have misheard him the first couple of times, but now it's been a while and I'm pretty sure that's what he is indeed saying. I'm pretty sure he means to say Professor. It's an easy mistake to make, I guess. I mean, they both start with P and they're roughly the same length.

"Um, Princess? Excuse me. Homework today?" "No, not today." "Ok, bye Princess! Have a good week."

It is the ABSOLUTE CUTEST THING EVER.

Remember how I teach university now? So he's, like, 20. Makes it even more adorbs.

I don't have the heart to correct him. I mean, I am Princess afterall. Zara even means princess, sooooo.....

He's in one of my low-level classes and he's pretty talkative. I don't want to discourage him using what English he can... not to mention... I love it. LOVE IT.

Professor Zara? Professor Perciful?

Nah.

Just call me Princess.




*Professor is my official job title. I know I don't have the years and years of experience and degrees to back up "being a professor" in a more traditional sense, but I'm a teacher at a university and they call us professors here. Sorry if that offends you; that's out of my hands. Maybe I'm really just a glorified teacher but I'll take it. ;) 

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Students say...

In honor of all my students who are busy studying for Final Exams (bum bum buuuuummmm), I will share some of the funny things they say that make me laugh. Cause my students are awesome and I love 'em. I want to put them all in my pocket. I can't believe my first semester teaching university kids is almost over!

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"True or false: Mel Gibson starred in Star Wars."

"Zara, starred? Like... twinkle twinkle?"

Bahahaha

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"My mother is ... in home ... no job?" 
"A homemaker?"
"No, she doesn't build houses." 

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"What does your mom look like?"
"Short, black hair, small face. Like baby chicken."

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"What does Denise need to go on vacation?"
"Passport."
"Tickets."

"Boyfriend."

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(students were quizzing each other with "what's she like" vs. "what's she look like" questions)

"What's your teacher like?"
*panicked face as the recipient looks over and sees me listening*

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Zara, you talk so fast! Like Eminem. 

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(one of my favorite girls to a very sweet boy volunteer in the English cafe)
You are a strange creature. 

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(same volunteer, who talks a LOT)
I can talk anytime. No topic.
(everyone else)
We KNOW! 

(seriously, a kid after my own heart!)

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One day, two of my engineers had the same hoodie and jacket on. That's a pretty common thing for couples or friends to do, so I asked if they did it on purpose and they looked at each other in horror and one of them shrugged his jacket off faster than I could say "LOL" ...they're just presh!

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(Because they have to work in pairs for conversations...)
Zara, you are my partner. I want you. I need you. [oh baby, oh baby?]

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Another time, I asked two groups of 3 to make pairs instead and OH MY GOODNESS I got a death stare from one of the girls. It was as if I asked her to work with an ex-boyfriend after a bad break up. I'm talking DEATH STARE. Woops...

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Students say...

Zara do you have a boyfriend? 
No. 
Why not?

Zara do you have a boyfriend?  
No. 
I'm sorry. 

(Aaaand my personal favorite)
Zara do you have a boyfriend?
No. 
How? You're pretty. 

If I had 100 won (roughly a dime) for every time I'm asked if I have a boyfriend, I'd have a lot of won. If I had another 100 for the shock or concern that follows my negative response, I'd be able to buy a lot more coffee.  I should start charging my students for asking.

Bless their couples-culturally-influenced hearts.