Teacher Was Cyberbullied Because Of Their English
UPDATE: After communicating with the parent, I found that I HAVE NOT BEEN FAIR TO THE PARENT in this post. Therefore, I have made several amendments in light of new information & will post about the parent's experience as well as a serious call to action. Still, I am interested in hearing the teacher's side of the story to balance things out.
What did the teacher do to deserve this? To be publicly shamed on so many websites (World of Buzz, Mashable SEA, Says, AsiaOne, RedChilli21 MY, Mothership SG, etc) & to be on the receiving end of toxic comments on social media?
Is it because the teacher has lower English proficiency than all of you? I'm sure you realize that English proficiency is a marker of privilege & not one of intelligence, right? Do you know the teacher's background? How do you know that the teacher & the others you're shaming in the comments aren't working hard to improve their English? What have you done to help this teacher do better & improve their English?
Ladies & gentlemen, you are participating in a classic case of cyber-bullying.
Parents, remember that you are your child's first teacher & your child will do as you do, not as you say. Would you be okay if your child started shaming a classmate's English proficiency on social media? Would you cheer your child on & add salt to the wound in the comments like you all just did?
Do you think that trolling on social media will improve the education system? What are you actually doing that will improve the education system? Basic things. Are you attending PIBG meetings? Are you contributing to your child's school? Have you ever approached any of the teachers & asked how you can help them help your child? Are you encouraging your English-proficient child to become a teacher?
Or, is being a keyboard warrior good enough for you? I'm sure the endorphins you're shooting into your brain feels good, no? What about rolling your sleeves & joining the toil in improving our education system? After all, that's what the people in English speaking countries are doing, you know? There's a movement for that, join Allies Of Education (Sarawak).
Judging from the written language proficiency, this teacher is probably a non-optionist = a teacher trained to teach another subject, but assigned to teach English because the school didn't have enough trained English teachers. This is very common because we currently have a nationwide shortage of English teachers. If this is true, this teacher deserves our RESPECT! NOT SHAME!!
With all this shaming going on, do you think non-optionists would want to teach English? So, you're happy with our English classes going without teachers la? Why don't you volunteer to teach these classes? Better still, why don't you send your proficient children for teacher training? We need good English teachers who are dedicated to nation-building through education.
In Malaysia, every government school English teacher MUST undergo an English proficiency test based on CEFR, Common European Framework of Reference for languages. If we score lower than the highest levels of C1 & C2, we spend our weekends attending courses for several months before being tested again and again and again until we get to C1 or C2.
Finally, here's a litmus test for us to consider...
Before you post, T.H.I.N.K. = Is it True? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Kind?
If there's a no to even just one of the questions, you should refrain. No matter how angry or emotional you are at the moment.
Please don't cyberbully teachers who is trying to do their job, often with very little support/appreciation. Focus your cyber-pressure on the politicians & other people who actually make the decisions. Please don't trample on the worker bees & ants that carry out their directives. As a nation, it is clear that we need to emphasize the English language in education & we need to pressure our government to hire competent English teachers. We need to inspire our young to become teachers, ESPECIALLY in the most challenging situations, not just at the easy school down the street from your home.
Do you think that more people should THINK before they post? Please share this. Messages like these rarely get shared, because it doesn't cause an emotional reaction. It makes you slow down & think. Honestly, all of us need to THINK more. Myself included. Do share! Those who are wise will thank you for the wisdom. Those who are foolish... Well, what are you doing being friends with them?!!!
Faith Wong wrote a good explanation of what "TP" is & how the grading system works: https://www.facebook.com/Faith.W844/posts/10157873206263464
These the websites are making money off the cyberbullying of a teacher:
1. Says https://www.facebook.com/saysdotcom/
2. World of Buzz https://www.facebook.com/worldofbuzz/
3. Mothership SG https://www.facebook.com/MothershipSG/
4. AsiaOne https://www.facebook.com/asiaonecom/5. Mashable SEA https://www.facebook.com/MashableSEA/
Click "...", Click "BLOCK", Click "CONFIRM".
UPDATE: Facebook got back to me & said that the posts on these websites don't go against their rules. Therefore, I've decided to BLOCK all the pages on Facebook, so they'll no longer profit off my attention. I'm making a stand for better journalism in the 21st century. Do join me.
 |
| I'm responding to this viral post on Facebook. |
Is it because the teacher has lower English proficiency than all of you? I'm sure you realize that English proficiency is a marker of privilege & not one of intelligence, right? Do you know the teacher's background? How do you know that the teacher & the others you're shaming in the comments aren't working hard to improve their English? What have you done to help this teacher do better & improve their English?
Ladies & gentlemen, you are participating in a classic case of cyber-bullying.
Parents, remember that you are your child's first teacher & your child will do as you do, not as you say. Would you be okay if your child started shaming a classmate's English proficiency on social media? Would you cheer your child on & add salt to the wound in the comments like you all just did?
Do you think that trolling on social media will improve the education system? What are you actually doing that will improve the education system? Basic things. Are you attending PIBG meetings? Are you contributing to your child's school? Have you ever approached any of the teachers & asked how you can help them help your child? Are you encouraging your English-proficient child to become a teacher?
Or, is being a keyboard warrior good enough for you? I'm sure the endorphins you're shooting into your brain feels good, no? What about rolling your sleeves & joining the toil in improving our education system? After all, that's what the people in English speaking countries are doing, you know? There's a movement for that, join Allies Of Education (Sarawak).
Judging from the written language proficiency, this teacher is probably a non-optionist = a teacher trained to teach another subject, but assigned to teach English because the school didn't have enough trained English teachers. This is very common because we currently have a nationwide shortage of English teachers. If this is true, this teacher deserves our RESPECT! NOT SHAME!!
With all this shaming going on, do you think non-optionists would want to teach English? So, you're happy with our English classes going without teachers la? Why don't you volunteer to teach these classes? Better still, why don't you send your proficient children for teacher training? We need good English teachers who are dedicated to nation-building through education.
In Malaysia, every government school English teacher MUST undergo an English proficiency test based on CEFR, Common European Framework of Reference for languages. If we score lower than the highest levels of C1 & C2, we spend our weekends attending courses for several months before being tested again and again and again until we get to C1 or C2.
Finally, here's a litmus test for us to consider...
Before you post, T.H.I.N.K. = Is it True? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Kind?
If there's a no to even just one of the questions, you should refrain. No matter how angry or emotional you are at the moment.
Please don't cyberbully teachers who is trying to do their job, often with very little support/appreciation. Focus your cyber-pressure on the politicians & other people who actually make the decisions. Please don't trample on the worker bees & ants that carry out their directives. As a nation, it is clear that we need to emphasize the English language in education & we need to pressure our government to hire competent English teachers. We need to inspire our young to become teachers, ESPECIALLY in the most challenging situations, not just at the easy school down the street from your home.
Do you think that more people should THINK before they post? Please share this. Messages like these rarely get shared, because it doesn't cause an emotional reaction. It makes you slow down & think. Honestly, all of us need to THINK more. Myself included. Do share! Those who are wise will thank you for the wisdom. Those who are foolish... Well, what are you doing being friends with them?!!!
Faith Wong wrote a good explanation of what "TP" is & how the grading system works: https://www.facebook.com/Faith.W844/posts/10157873206263464
These the websites are making money off the cyberbullying of a teacher:
1. Says https://www.facebook.com/saysdotcom/
2. World of Buzz https://www.facebook.com/worldofbuzz/
3. Mothership SG https://www.facebook.com/MothershipSG/
4. AsiaOne https://www.facebook.com/asiaonecom/5. Mashable SEA https://www.facebook.com/MashableSEA/
Click "...", Click "BLOCK", Click "CONFIRM".
UPDATE: Facebook got back to me & said that the posts on these websites don't go against their rules. Therefore, I've decided to BLOCK all the pages on Facebook, so they'll no longer profit off my attention. I'm making a stand for better journalism in the 21st century. Do join me.
