"What is your response to Harvey?"
Harvey has good intentions. He seems like a passionate teacher that wants the students to be the best they can be. I do understand why he wants his students to learn to talk proper English. Talking in pidgin is not professional in the corporate world and it will only get you so far. However, the way he speaks to the students can be adjusted. When he stated, "cut the crap, stop playing these goddamn plantation games," did not sit right with me. I felt that he was impatient and rude. The students need to feel comfortable.
Harvey has to understand that these students talk the way they talk because that is who they are. Pidgin is their comfort zone. It's their family, culture, home and everything that reminds them of where they come from. To me it sounds like Harvey doesn't like who the students are in general and wants them to be more like him. American. I think that Harvey has to ask himself, is there a way to teach these students to speak proper English without making them feel dumb and small. Without making them feel like the American way is the only way and right way. Why does he get to say that the American way of talking is the correct way anyway. The students feel small because of how Harvey speaks to them. He seems to get agitated and that anger and negative energy won't get through to the students. I actually understand if the students rebel against him and his way of teaching.
My response to Harvey would be to stop being so impatient, stop acting like the bully and make your students feel comfortable and excited about learning English. Make them feel like they are learning an additional language and not trying to change their language and who they are. You have to understand where these kids are coming from and not belittle them. If you get so upset because the children are not catching on as fast as you would like, change your teaching style or get a new job. You say, "you need me more than I need you," but the kids actually don't need you if that is the way you are going to be.
Hi Natalie-
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your post, its kept me interested the whole time. I agree with you 100 %, I think that Mr. Harvey is impatient and needs to stop being a bully. He does need to realize that he is just a teacher and with the students speaking Pidgin, your right it is there comfort zone and perhaps there culture and what they speak at home. He needs to also realize that just because he speaks correctly does not mean that his students are going to. he needs to make his students feel more comfortable around him and I bet they would be more eager to learn about English. He needs to go down to there level and bring them up to his without making them feel belittled.
Emily