With Every Compliment... There is always a complain?

We can never please everyone, can we? Particularly students who do not get the grades they want. Just when I received a great compliment from a very dedicated and diligent student who truly understands the journey of learning, I get a complain email from a student who is pretty much at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Students who do not understand the learning objectives of the class after one semester, is truly lost. They will also try to 'teach' the lecturer how they should be grading and marking assignments. Of course, it is to suit their needs, needless to say.

Over the years, I have learnt that there will always be students who will only be please with you or speaks the world of you when you give them the grades they want, even if the quality of their work is way off the mark. There is never a point self-reflection to evaluate the quality of their own work and see if it is really up to standard. Very quickly students will always turn around and point the finger at the lecturer to say that it is his/her fault. Really is it?

If one or more students from the very same class is able to produce good quality work then there is really no excuse for everyone else not to. Students are often very selective in what they hear, they only choose to hear what they want to. Then they will turn the tables around and say that they were not told. Interesting?

I have had many students (not only undergraduates but Masters students alike) who think that just because they attend your lessons (which is doing me a great favor, mind you!) it is a given that they will pass or receive a grade THEY THINK THEY DESERVE. Interesting isn't it?

Over the years, I've learnt that praises and compliments are a nice to have. But as a lecturer, teacher or coach, I have a job to deliver with integrity and principles. And not to sugar coat to create a delusional world for someone else. Reality can sometimes be harsh but at least they will hopefully 'wake up' and see things for truly what they are.