Tuesday, November 13, 2018

ALESN Mandarin I Monday night class check-in -- see you all next Monday AND TWO IMPORTANT REMINDERS -- thanks!

ALESN Mandarin I Monday night class check-in -- see you all next Monday AND TWO IMPORTANT REMINDERS -- thanks!


Tue, Nov 13, 2018 at 11:15 AM


Hi Gang,

Sorry that we did not have class last night. I trust that everyone remembered and that you read either my email or the top entry on your blog section at www.sayitrightchinese.com and you did not show up at the school. If you did, oh well -- your mistake.

So, I mean no disrespect by what I am about to say, but I might come off sounding like an asshole. If I do, oh well. I am not going to apologize for what I am about to type.

First -- come on, people -- I have already mentioned twice or three times now in class (during the first few classes and in my initial email with textbook info, which is available in multiple places on my blog), that I am NOT the person to ask for a free PDF of the textbook or any of the related class resources such as the workbook, etc.

I gave you guys the links to San Francisco State University and University of Rhode Island's Chinese Departments so that you can download audio and video content for free because these institutions posted the resources on their websites. I was overjoyed to see this and am pleased to be able to share these public resources with my class. HOWEVER, I am not going to distribute additional free PDF textbook or workbook materials to my students. This is the third or fourth time I am telling you guys this. I am NOT going to be the one to hold your hands and whisper sweet nothings in your ears while I tell you how to illegally download PDF resources for your class.

STOP ASKING ME TO DO THIS FOR YOU.

I am happy to teach upwards of 100 hours of free classes each year for ALESN. In exchange, I expect all of my students to put on their big boy pants and their big girl pants and download this stuff for yourselves if that is what you intend to do. Do not ask for my help in downloading free PDF materials for your class. Ask your classmates. I guarantee you all that if you spend under 3 minutes on Google and you type the right words, you will find whatever you want for this book series for free -- and with a fast laptop or tablet, you will have everything downloaded and ready for your personal use in under 10 minutes. I am NOT going to be the person to show you how to do this.

Secondly -- again, come on, people. How many times do I have to tell the class where the DVD store is located? I even mock-walked it out for you, moving my body in class during at least 2 of our classes, pretending that I was turning right out of the school's entrance onto Hester and then turning left from Hester onto Eldgridge, putting you on the exact block where the store is located. I gave you guys the exact block that the store is on. If you look at a map of NYC, there is only ONE such block in all of Manhattan, one such block in all of the 5 boroughs. It is one block from the school. I told you guys exactly where along the block it is located, and yet 3 or 4 people continue to ask me where the store is located.

Are you kidding me?!

GO LOOK FOR IT. Assuming that you are not blind and you have walked along that one block during business hours when the store is actually open, it is there, on the lefthand (west) side of the street when walking over from the school. I assure you it is there. I stop by there almost every single week before classes to check out what new DVDs they might have gotten in.

Ok -- I am done with my rant.

This is a real pet peeve of mine -- people who act helpless in the face of 5 minutes of easy internet searching or 5 minutes of easy walking one block from the entrance to the school. DO THE WORK. DON'T ASK ME TO DO THE WORK FOR YOU.

Best wishes to all and see you all next Monday,
Brendan

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