Students

[myrna22]

Why do students come on here asking for help with their homework? It seems to me that a lot of students have questions regarding their understanding of a text, their understanding of an essay they are to write, or how to approach a topic for an essay they plan to write, and they come here asking for help.

As a teacher, I think the person to ask these questions is your teacher. The best way to do well is to work closely with your teacher. If you are not sure what the teacher expects or what the teacher means when she/he assigns something, why ask people who have no idea what the teacher means and who can only guess at it?

A good teacher will expect a student to ask questions, ask for clarification, and to discuss the progress of a reading assignment or an essay.

[kiki1982]

I agree wth you there, but there are some abysmal teachers who do not like to give information and when you ask a question about what they have assigned would say: 'Look it up yourself.' Then they take the excuse that a student should look for info himmself.

And what about the teachers that don't know their arm from their elbow in literature and just take questions from the net that they don't bother to answer themselves? (had one here recently) Or even worse, the teacher that hasn't read the book they are assigning something for and asks questions that are pretty straigtforward because they happen to be in a lot of essays about the book(feminism in blablabla, for example), but which are in fact not so easy to solve.

And then of course, there is the student who is too proud to go and ask a question to his teacher because he thinks he will look stupid.

I was a student of that type, but I also had teachers who didn't know their arm from their elbow when it came to books and themes, apart from one. So the questions they asked were not very imaginative and sometimes it is difficult to solve an unimaginative question.

[myrna22]

I agree wth you there, but there are some abysmal teachers who do not like to give information and when you ask a question about what they have assigned would say: 'Look it up yourself.' Then they take the excuse that a student should look for info himmself.

And what about the teachers that don't know their arm from their elbow in literature and just take questions from the net that they don't bother to answer themselves? (had one here recently) Or even worse, the teacher that hasn't read the book they are assigning something for and asks questions that are pretty straigtforward because they happen to be in a lot of essays about the book(feminism in blablabla, for example), but which are in fact not so easy to solve.

And then of course, there is the student who is too proud to go and ask a question to his teacher because he thinks he will look stupid.

I was a student of that type, but I also had teachers who didn't know their arm from their elbow when it came to books and themes, apart from one. So the questions they asked were not very imaginative and sometimes it is difficult to solve an unimaginative question.

I suppose all those things do apply to some extent. I have a more positive perspective on most teachers. I think they do know what they are doing and don't assign papers on books they haven't read. I believe most teachers do want students to ask questions. I talk to teachers all the time, as I work with them, and I've never gotten the impression that a teacher doesn't want to help a student. I think it is often that the student is too shy or afraid to look like they don't know something, and that is why he/she doesn't approach the teacher.

My advice is take the chance. Most likely the teacher will welcome your questions.

[kiki1982]

Of course. I am not saying that most teachers are like that. That would be really sad for education itself, but the bad ones do exist (and of course the shy students too ;)).

Still, fortunately we do not get the whole student community here, asking questions they have been assigned, with a teacher that does not like to help. Otherwise we'd have our work cut out. ;)

I am out of it now and have been for years, but I can still remember some of my teachers, bless them. There was one that didn't even know what I was talking about in my exam.

[Veva]

A good teacher will expect a student to ask questions, ask for clarification, and to discuss the progress of a reading assignment or an essay.

Well, I guess that there are no longer good teachers... most of mine would send me to hell (in an elegant manner though) if I came in and asked... :(

[kiki1982]

Maybe it depends on the continent or even country, though.

Personally, my teachers didn't care, but then again, my literature subjects in Belgium were not that deep, unlike for example in A-level essays... Professors in Belgium are abysmal. They would ask how you dare to come and ask them a question. However, they are professors, and not teachers.

[Lokasenna]

Maybe I'm being cynical (as usual!), but the incessant posts just seem like the product of laziness to me. They don't want to do the essay, and while trawling Google they discover a forum of people who are all passionate about literature, and think they can use them.

In so many cases, all we're given is a copy-and-paste essay question, followed by something along the lines of "need help plz!" tacked on to the end. Some even have the temerity to give a set length for the answer. It's not a cry for help, but a blatant desire to cheat the system.

If someone wants to contructively discuss some ideas and themes, with the intention of improving their performance in an essay, then that is genuinely commendable, and I'll happily engage in said discussion to the best of my abilities. But simply being presented with an essay title just feels insulting.

[jadrianne]

is it very hard to learn but it's harder to be a teacher.

You must have a special quality in order to transmit all your knowledge to others; you must know how to reach your students mind and to capture their attention.

A bad example of a teacher was Einstein for example. That shows that you can be a genius and understand how the universe works but you don't possess that special quality the one that makes you a teacher.

Referring to those teachers who tell you that you must do you your own search and that you mustn't ask them about the homework ; One must know about his or hers pupils what is exactly their level of orientation concerning research, study and so on and to be able to conceive a plan so that all pupils can reach a certain stage where they are able to orientate themselves in the wide big world .

[PSRemeshChandra]

A student normally is only a child, a human being on training. To live in this world and to face the world in the future, it is his duty to secure the best for him. Apart from the refinement, learnedness, willingness, sophistication and integrity of the teacher, of which the student will certainly know much more than anyone else, there is the question of whether learned minds will freely part with the knowledge they possess. If a child asks a question and a learned senior won't answer, then what is the use of knowledge? Every child knows that Literature Sites such as this one are where fine and trustworthy answers are got from and so he boldly asks his questions here. A boy is a man in miniature and he is only imitating what grown up people do, whether for an essay, exam or competition. He deserves the best just as any others. Moreover a question is usually asked to a whole class and the answers in most cases may and should vary. If a teacher assists all answers, then where is variety. It is not a secret that a continuously learning teacher also benefits from this opportunity for going through a variety of answers. In most cases, and it needn't be denied, a child persistently going after a teacher seeking help may get abused in many ways. In a child's perspective, Literature and other Answering Sites are therefore safer places to ask questions and seek help. There has been an anecdote about a teacher quoted by Dr. Johnson who would come to class and ask the children the Latin word for Candle. No one will answer and everyone will get mercilessly beaten, because the teacher had never taught in the class the Latin word for Candle. The negligent may be punished and the ignorant taught. It would be interesting to enquire into whether the subjects asked here and elsewhere by students were ever taught in their classes at least once by their teachers.

[zoolane]

OK As I am mature student but I am amateur writer of poems and stories on here first. Only time very ask people advice on here is when I started or in process of writing essay or story for college, also only if ask if there any bad points or anything I could improve on within the piece. Only time might ask question on college work is help with terminology or clarify something.

[Patrick_Bateman]

I never liked to ask my Maths teacher for help, simply because I didn't want people thinking I couldn't understand or complete the work on my own.

people don't like to admit they are struggling while they are seeing their fellow students cracking on with it.

[Sionn Harrow]

Okay, I've only asked one homework related question on here, but I feel like this question applies to me. I think that questions from students can be legitimate-- usually they're just trying to understand a piece of literature better, and can their question lead to a good discussion. that's my two cents :P

[keilj]

Okay, I've only asked one homework related question on here, but I feel like this question applies to me. I think that questions from students can be legitimate-- usually they're just trying to understand a piece of literature better, and can their question lead to a good discussion. that's my two cents :P

It doesn't apply to you. We are talking about people who sign up on Lit Net, and their first and only post ever is a "help me with my essay"

I agree with Bateman above - I had times in college where I was embarrassed to ask my teacher questions for fear that it would make me look like I was lost in the class


There are still plenty of good teachers - but as someone mentioned above, a really good teacher who has a knack for effectively conveying information to students is a pretty rare gift. I had some brilliant, Yale-trained professors at UNC who were probably masters in their subjects (tenured, published, etc), yet could not teach it in an understandable way to save their life

[Rores28]

Maybe I'm being cynical (as usual!), but the incessant posts just seem like the product of laziness to me. They don't want to do the essay, and while trawling Google they discover a forum of people who are all passionate about literature, and think they can use them.

In so many cases, all we're given is a copy-and-paste essay question, followed by something along the lines of "need help plz!" tacked on to the end. Some even have the temerity to give a set length for the answer. It's not a cry for help, but a blatant desire to cheat the system.

If someone wants to contructively discuss some ideas and themes, with the intention of improving their performance in an essay, then that is genuinely commendable, and I'll happily engage in said discussion to the best of my abilities. But simply being presented with an essay title just feels insulting.

This is what's happening 95% of the time.

Also these questions aren't really that frequent, when you consider the sheer volume of internet users and the fact that the first hit on Google for "Literature forum" is this website.

[Lokasenna]

Okay, I've only asked one homework related question on here, but I feel like this question applies to me. I think that questions from students can be legitimate-- usually they're just trying to understand a piece of literature better, and can their question lead to a good discussion. that's my two cents :P

Keilj is absolutely right - you've become a part of the community. As I said all the way back last February, it's the people who are manifestly trying to take advantage. The sort who pop up, give us an essay question, and then vanish having never achieved a post count greater than 1.

As you say, questions can be legitimate. But exploring ideas in a forum of mutual debate is a very different kettle of fish from simply expecting someone to fork over an essay for them to pass off as their own work.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

You'll also notice when a student is blatantly asking for us to do their work for them, they rarely get a response. And if they do get one, it's no more than some suggestions on where to start. It's funny that when this happens, and the students don't get what they want, there is no response. Plus, the dummies would have a better chance if the didn't spell "please" p-l-z, as the OP pointed out :lol:.

But, it seems when a student comes here with some ideas about what they want to do for an assignment, and ask for some advice or maybe some other materials to read, they get help, as they should in this case.

As to why students come here, I think (for the ones who want use to do the work for them, at least) it's just laziness. But I'm sure some of it is crappy teachers, too.

[stlukesguild]

A student normally is only a child, a human being on training... :rolleyes5:

there is the question of whether learned minds will freely part with the knowledge they possess. If a child asks a question and a learned senior won't answer, then what is the use of knowledge?

Hmmm... so taken to the logical extent those adults who labored for years in attaining a body of knowledge should just freely give such information over to any and all callers? Sorry, but if you knew the least thing about child development and learning you would know that knowledge is not on through being presented with the facts. The old notion of the empty vessel into which we merely pour facts which must be memorized by rote is not at all considered the sole or even the primary route to "learning". We learn through reading, writing, comparison, analysis, reasoning... we learn through collaboration, and we learn through developing meta-learning skills... developing the ability to utilize diverse resources and master the understanding of how the individual best learns. All of these are bypassed when we elect for another to simply do our work for us.

Every child knows that Literature Sites such as this one are where fine and trustworthy answers are got from and so he boldly asks his questions here.

Any student coming here seeking to have his or her homework done for him/her will probably discover that no one is willing to do your homework for you... and those who do offer ready answers may just not be offering the most "fine and trustworthy" answers expected.

A boy is a man in miniature and he is only imitating what grown up people do, whether for an essay, exam or competition.

And what do grown up people do? Go to others and ask them to do their work for them? Attempt to get others to answer their essay questions concerning a book they haven't bothered to read? The goal in answering an essay question related to a reading assignment is not simply to present a single fact to the student. The goal is to give the student experience in reading, in analyzing what they have read, in applying what they have read to questions, in researching and in writing. None of this is attained by having another do your work for you.

He deserves the best just as any others.

How is he entitled to or deserving of anything? Respect is something that must be earned. A student who comes here posting a series of essay questions that he or she expects me or others to answer is not deserving of the least serious consideration. If, on the other hand, a student comes here and admits that he or she is struggling with a given question and proceeds to offer his or here thoughts showing that he/she has read the book and made an actual attempt at the question, then I am certain there are any number here who would gladly offer assistance.

Moreover a question is usually asked to a whole class and the answers in most cases may and should vary. If a teacher assists all answers, then where is variety.

The teacher does dot give the answer. The teacher helps the student understand what exactly is being asked and what resources he/she should employ in confronting such questions.

It is not a secret that a continuously learning teacher also benefits from this opportunity for going through a variety of answers.

:rolleyes5:

In most cases, and it needn't be denied, a child persistently going after a teacher seeking help may get abused in many ways.

Nonsense. Students are encouraged to ask questions. It is only when the student uses repeated questioning as a means of avoiding confronting the work at hand or out of fear of being wrong that a teacher may push the student into thinking for himself/herself.

In a child's perspective, Literature and other Answering Sites are therefore safer places to ask questions and seek help.

Again, nonsense. I'm fully in agreement with Neely. 95%+ of such questions are the result of laziness... a belief that the student might con members into parting with their knowledge for free. Your comment as a whole is nothing more than a sad excuse for what is essentially "cheating".

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

A student normally is only a child, a human being on training... :rolleyes5:

there is the question of whether learned minds will freely part with the knowledge they possess. If a child asks a question and a learned senior won't answer, then what is the use of knowledge?

Hmmm... so taken to the logical extent those adults who labored for years in attaining a body of knowledge should just freely give such information over to any and all callers? Sorry, but if you knew the least thing about child development and learning you would know that knowledge is not on through being presented with the facts. The old notion of the empty vessel into which we merely pour facts which must be memorized by rote is not at all considered the sole or even the primary route to "learning". We learn through reading, writing, comparison, analysis, reasoning... we learn through collaboration, and we learn through developing meta-learning skills... developing the ability to utilize diverse resources and master the understanding of how the individual best learns. All of these are bypassed when we elect for another to simply do our work for us.



:hurray:

[mortalterror]

It is not a secret that a continuously learning teacher also benefits from this opportunity for going through a variety of answers.

It's been my experience that the only thing a teacher learns from his students is that they are lazy idiots and that the future is doomed. It is a lesson that, as you say, is continuously learned.

[drago]

As a student who comes here for help, I must confess that I find my teacher's lacking. If you write an essay that greatly surpasses your peers in experience and analysis, the teacher will most usually only be grateful for this and not offer you near the criticism that litnet members do. Of course, these peers would also be terrible writers (the former statement was not flattery to myself in any way, I am only a writer while they are only required to take the course.)

I think above all, at least on my part, is out of respect for my fellow litnet members and not laziness regarding conferencing with my teacher.