Random Quote
I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.
---- Albert Einstein
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.
---- Franklin D. Roosevelt
As an adolescent I aspired to lasting fame, I craved factual certainty, and I thirsted for a meaningful vision of human life - so I became a scientist. This is like becoming an archbishop so you can meet girls.
---- M. Cartmill
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
---- Thomas A. Edison
Any man whose errors take ten years to correct is quite a man.
---- J. Robert Oppenheimer
I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them.
---- Isaac Asimov
"It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Remember, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.'"
---- Sam Levenson
Isn't it interesting that the same people who laugh at science fiction listen to weather forecasts and economists?"
---- Kelvin Throop III
Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.
---- Edward R. Murrow
The least of learning is done in the classrooms
---- Thomas Merton
I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it.
---- Terry Pratchett
As soon as I buy the moose head, I have to go pick up some KY jelly.
---- Mary Roninette Kowal
To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent.
---- Robert Copeland
Drink coffee! Do stupid things faster!
---- unknown
Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
---- Abigail Adams (1744 - 1818)
One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain't nothin' can beat teamwork.
---- Edward Abbey
Hanging is too good for a man who makes puns; he should be drawn and quoted.
---- Fred Allen
it's probably not a good idea to underestimate my ability to make an ass out of myself—just when I seem to have it under control, I'll turn around and surprise you.
---- Tenser said the Tensor
This may be the most interesting blog theme I've ever seen. http://eflgeek.com/index.php Definitely in my top 5 at least.
---- Steve Dembo
Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.
---- H. G. Wells
Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater.
---- Gail Godwin
I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're going and hook up with them later.
---- Mitch Hedberg
No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness.
---- Sheik Abd-al-Kadir
There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
---- Pablo Picasso
It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
---- Arnold Toynbee
Question for those teaching at a University
Kevin, of The Big Hominid Asks questions of university teachers. I have reposted his entire post here and will respond later. Right now you would not believe how busy I am. And on top of that there is this article in the Korea Herald that is deserving of commentary, but I probably won’t have time to get to that either.
a question for you university English teachers
No need to identify your university in your answer, but I’m currently mulling over the following questions, which require replies from people working at many different Korean universities:
1. How does your university calculate the number of hours you are required to work, and does that calculation vary? What does “work” consist of? Teaching and… what other duties? Is the method of calculation spelled out in precise language in your contract?
2. How does your university calculate overtime pay? Is the method of calculation spelled out in precise language in your contract?
3. If, in a given semester, it is determined that you have not worked the required minimum number of hours, what is done about this? How are you informed of this “undertime”? was the possibility of “undertime” spelled out in your contract?
4. Do you feel your university’s methods of calculation are straightforward, up-front, trustworthy, consistent, etc.? If the answer is not a definite “yes,” then do you feel that the problem(s) you’re experiencing may be the result of malice, disorganization/incompetence, or both?
5. If you have breaks between terms (say, a one-week break between summer and fall terms), are these breaks considered vacation (and noted as such in your contract), or are you “on call” during this time? If you are considered on call, are you paid for being on call, or are you obliged to “make up” that break because you weren’t teaching?
I look forward to many and varied replies. If a particular question doesn’t seem relevant to you, please note its irrelevance. If you have something more to add, something not covered by the above questions, please feel free to unload.
I decided to post these questions here rather than over at Dave’s ESL Cafe because I’m convinced that, collectively speaking, DESLC has no sense of perspective. The bitterness, the hatred, the more-than-occasional racism were a turn-off for me on the rare occasions I ventured into those forums. Better to post my questions here and elicit level-headed responses of a generally higher quality.
Oh, yes: PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS POST. I’d like a large library of answers from people all over the peninsula.





JMac wrote 35 words on Thursday Nov 8, 2007 at 09:23 AM
Tried to comment over there, but think my comment got eaten. I know he moderates, so hope it turns up.
If it doesn’t I’ll probably post here so he can at leat read it.
-JMac
JMac wrote 9 words on Thursday Nov 8, 2007 at 09:24 AM
As for the Herald article—thank GOD for my F-5!!
Kevin Kim wrote 10 words on Thursday Nov 8, 2007 at 08:14 PM
Thanks for spreading the word.
JMac, your comment’s up.
Kevin