Alex 알렉스
Professional TeacherAnswers and corrections by teachers, tutors and other members are often taken for granted
There are many teachers, community tutors and other members who diligently answer questions and correct notebook entries. Though many of them are grateful and give you a thumbs up or write a few words of thanks, there seem to be many who just take it for granted and even get angry when you do not help them. I got a few requests by students to help them preparing for an exam, but they expected me for some reasons to do it for free. When I refused, they got angry and accused me of 'having no manners' or 'being mean'. When I have time I usually answer questions, correct notebook entries and try to be helpful. But there seems to be a growing number of people who ask for help which requires a lot of time and are surprised when telling them so. After having gotten many negative responses it makes me feel a bit strange. Why do people expect you to work for free? Is it because italki is an online forum or because people see many members who are helpful and assume that they should receive as well free help? Who would ask a carpenter, who has just made a table to make him a chair free of cost? Or would you ask a teacher at an institute to proofread your assignment for university? No, because it would feel awkward.
Oct 27, 2019 1:24 AM
Comments · 12
4
Well I also experienced the same thing. I try to contribute to the community through discussions but I never corrected a notebook entry. I teach IELTS speaking and writing and a lot of students do not know how much time it takes to give a detailed correction, sometimes part 1 and 2 will take 2 hours if the correction will include paraphrasing and grammar rules. A lot of people do not realize that this is a job for us. For non-native speakers like me, I also invested a lot of time and money in learning a language and so I am not saying that learning should not be free but at least when someone does it for free, it does not hurt to be grateful.
A man sent me a message and is asking for a FREE class from me. I said no! He said that I am a bad person. That is an automatic block for me. Unless I am learning his language then I would love to do it for free. I tried to be super polite but when he said, "Okay let's get down to business". It is a fact that no business is for free, even going to the John needs money nowadays, at least if you want a clean one.
October 27, 2019
3
I believe too many people feel entitled today. They expect everything to be handed to them without having to work for it, and when they are told, "No", they react with insults, probably hoping to manipulate the person into changing his or her mind.
October 28, 2019
3
"<em>There are youngsters who are so used to consuming free content on the internet that they sometimes extend that to things that obviously aren't for free.</em> "
Som, I think youngsters are used to gettign <em>everything</em> for free at first. Then they realize more or less what is money (it happens a bit later than they first use money - they also need to understand what's job and family income... basically in teens) - and then the only free thing in their life is services.
Teachers are for free (apart of private tutors) and doctors in Russia are also for free. Waiters, cachiers, etc. are also for free: you don't pay them for paying them:)
Such a detail as "government is paying to teachers" is outside of their comprehension because teachers are people who <em>force </em>them to study!
October 28, 2019
3
@Som
The gurukul system was for sure not for free, but it was as well a holistic way of learning. Apart from philosophy one learnt how to keep a farm. That was the ancient Indian tution fee ;)
@ Florian
Luckily I am not the only one ;)
October 28, 2019
3
There are youngsters who are so used to consuming free content on the internet that they sometimes extend that to things that obviously aren't for free. They are all in for a rude shock when they get their first brush with real life. As they say, there is no such thing as a free lunch in the universe. <em>None</em>.
It is in fact rude and remarkably foolish to expect a <em>teacher</em> to teach for free, just as it is to expect a lawyer to give free legal counsel, a doctor to treat patients free of charge or the supermarket to give away free groceries. That's charity, and applies only to those who have nothing of value to give in return. Even as a young student, I never expected charity.
The traditional <em>gurukul</em> system of education in ancient India looks like the ultimate free system, but in fact was nothing of the sort. In brief, it had young boys to go to a sage's hermitage, stay in residence for several years and learn, for no apparent charge.
To put that in perspective, those were the days of barter economy when money wasn't yet a thing. The youngsters were in fact the unpaid workers at the hermitage who did everything from taking care of the hermit's cattle, tending to his vegetable patches and crops, fetching water, cleaning up the place and even massaging his legs and feet.
To that, one may add that even this was not universally accessible. Only those born as brahmin boys were entitled to education. Girls and other communities were not worthy of receiving education.
I don't correct long texts full of spelling and gramatical errors, often so bad that one is left wondering what it means in the first place. I would only respond to something if it can be done reasonably briefly and it's something interesting. If I need lessons, I shall certainly pay for them. Having an exchange partner is a good secondary strategy, but no substitute for a teacher.
October 27, 2019
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Alex 알렉스
Language Skills
Austrian German, English, German, Hindi, Korean, Latin, Russian
Learning Language
Korean
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