In my mailbox today..

When I reached office this morning, this is the first email that I read.


Hi Ma'am

Can i request ma'am not to let students answer every que in tut class?

Because I think it's kinda wasting time since we have only 1 hour class. N I think I can undertstand much more better when ma'am is teaching.

No doubt, picking students to participate makes class interesting but it's kinda distracting. Because we will worry "when will be my turn" and keep on finding that particular ans which we think we ll be the lucky ones to ans it. Only after beeing called to ans can concentrate.
somehow I'm the one

I hope ma'am can take into consideration

thanks.


I immediately replied it.

Dear Ywoan (i'm not sure whether this is her/his name),

Good day. I appreciate your comment on this matter but I have my own reasons why i have to ask students to answer the tutorial questions.

1. During lecture, basically the role of lecturer is to explain everything but during tutorial the role of the lecturer is being a moderator. When there is a need for the lecturer to explain something, then it will be explained.

2. The basic idea of having tutorial is to review back what have been explained in the lecture, to look whether there is anything that the student need to be further explained or to correct any misconception. How do I know whether the students understand or not if I did not asked them to answer the questions first. From Q&A, basically I can traced my students' level of understanding about one topic and then I'll try my best to simplify it.

3. I agree with you that 1 hour class is not enough for us to discuss everything. That's why I always start with "which question do you want me to explain?" or "anything that you don't understand from the chapter that you want me to explain?" However, most of the time students are just kept quiet. Some of the tutorial questions are very straightforward and the answer can be copied directly from the textbook or the slides. If the direct questions you can't even answer, I would say that you have no effort at all to help yourself. Even if I straightaway giving all the answers, 1 hour is still not enough for me to explain every question.

4. You have to understand that education is not only a process of giving knowledge by lecturer to students where the lecturer is the only party putting a lot of efforts to ensure that you pass your exams. If it is the case, I would rather give you questions together with the answers for you to memorize for your exam. It is not an education. There are so many things to be achieved in education. At least, I want my students to improve their confidence level by answering the questions.

5. Why should you worry about "when will be my turn" if you are well prepared?. Why should you "finding that particular answer" once I start the class. The questions were posted earlier and the chapter discussed have been covered a few days before (for a few classes a week before). In fact you can bring the tutorial questions during the lecture so that you can answer the questions as soon as I explained the topic in the lecture. I know that your biggest constraint in preparing the answers is time. I do understand how busy a student is but you have to face it if you want to be successful. I was a student before and now preparing to be a student again. If a lot of working adults out there can work and study at the same time, I think you should be grateful because you are full time student with no responsibility to take care of your own husband, wife or kids.(I'm not sure in your case, but I assume 90% of MMU students are fall in this category - single and available full time students).

6. I never blamed my students if they provide me the wrong answer. Don't worry, if you get wrong answer, I'll help you but I want you to put your own effort first before I give everything. Why should you prepare before attending tutorial? It is just our strategy to make sure that students open the book, study and revise for the whole semester not 1 day before the final exam. At the end of the day it benefits you not me.

I hope that my answer can help you to understand why tutorial should be Q&A session. I'm not blaming or angry at you for sending me this email. It's ok. But I want you to understand that spoon feeding is not healthy in education. Be independent and explore so that you can grab more knowledge for your future. Education is not only inside the classroom but everywhere and anytime.

Last but not least, it is not easy for us to be successful. It requires a lot of sacrifices and efforts. You are here to learn not to buy knowledge.

Warm regards,
Mdm. Zakiah

I received the reply a few minutes after I sent mine.

Thanks ma'am for replyin my msg.

I do prepare every tut before class jz tat not every single que can be answered well.

Now I understand ma'am's reasons.

Comment please........