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ESL forum >
Concerning worksheets > Some food for thought...
Some food for thought...
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mena22
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Some food for thought...
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This afternoon sims2 brought up a recurrent issue to the forum - downloading other contributors� work without leaving a message:
"I need reinforcements", started by sims2
and Feedback/ Comments/ Reinforcement, restarted by Silke
In fact, if we go through a few worksheets, we will soon find out that leaving a message is the exception, not the rule!
Personally, I would never be able to download a worksheet without saying at least "Thank you" to the contributor. More than just politeness, it�s a question of education, of the good manners our parents tried to teach us.
So, should we conclude that those who don�t leave a comment are less educated or lack good manners? I�m not really sure.
In my opinion, those people don�t bother to leave a "thank you" note, I mean, they don�t even think of it, because they are not involved in this beautiful community as we are .
They use ESLprintables automatically as they use any other site that offers them what they need. They don�t see "people" behind the worksheets! They have no idea how hard we work to make those resources. But again, I believe all these ideas and facts never cross their minds at all. They just click and that�s it! They get what they want and it�s over. They do not have any connection, affection or whatsoever towards us or the site, just like when I go to google...
When I upload a worksheet, particularly when it is one of those that took me a long time to prepare, like the extensive reading task, the only thing that makes me feel better is that I�m sure the comments left by all the nice members of the site will make me, if not forget, at least feel less angry with those that didn�t recognize me as a person, but as a machine at their service. And I am not talking about those who occasionaly do not leave a comment. Absolutely not. What we are talking about here is the people who NEVER say thank you, who NEVER "see" the person behind the worksheet. That�s very frustrating and annoying!
But if we keep uploading, it must mean that there are quite a few people in the site we care about and whom we like to share our work and ideas with. And that�s what I�ll try to think about next time I see any worksheet with many downloads and few comments!
Thank you. I wish you all a good night!
Hugs,
mena |
7 Jan 2009
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andreaewa
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Mena: you are right, I think we should think about the person behind the worksheet. Sometimes I download things without thanking because I don�t have something different to say, something that it was not said by others, but I think I should be more polite and I�ll leave at least just a "thank you" in the ws I�ll download. You�ve made me think. Thanks and
HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR YOU ALL!
Andrea |
7 Jan 2009
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Damielle
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Although some people here think that a simple "thank you" note is not relevant, I believe, as you have said Mena, it is the least we can do for that person who is offering us something to share. It�s a question of good manners. Besides, most of the downloaded worksheets have been prepared by a person who devoted hours and some hard work to make something attractive and useful for the other teachers. So that effort should be compensated by those who benefit from the download with an encouraging comment or an ordinary thank-you note.
I always say that I�m absolutely for leaving comments
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7 Jan 2009
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Logos
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I am afraid that I am going to be considered the Mr Scrooge of this forum, but I don�t entirely agree with you on this. Now I like praise and recognition as much as anyone else, but if folks choose to download my material without writing a comment, then I consider the fact that they have downloaded it to be thanks enough. It is nice to receive comments, but if they are not there, it�s not the end of the world.
Okay it is polite to say thank you and acknowledge effort and hard work, but I know that sometimes when I am downloading a popular worksheet which already has 30 comments saying thank you, then i feel a bit lazy and think do I really need to scroll all the way to the bottom and do they really need any more pats on the back!!!!
So, before I get shouted down, I do usually leave comments on sheets I download - but not always and if I have downloaded your work without saying thank you, then sorry, but thank you anyway.
You write as if it is a personal insult on you if people do not comment - well I am sure folks who download your work do not feel that way, otherwise why would they contribute to your extra points.
Now a real personal insult would be for me to write on the comments, that your worksheet is rubbish and then not download it. But I would never do that.
I will now sit back and wait for all the flack and insults to come my way. Please do not beat me too hard and remember I am only a humble teacher with humble opinions. |
7 Jan 2009
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alien boy
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Hmm, I like the sentiment behind leaving a thank you. Yes it�s polite, encouraging & shows that you value the person behind the work.
However... I don�t tend to leave a �thank you� on a contribution that already has a lot of them. Partly because I believe that it doesn�t really serve any purpose - how much stroking does someone really need?
I also feel that if you leave constructive criticism it seems like it may well just be overlooked when it�s in the middle of 20 or 30 �thank you� statements.
Well Logos, looks like you & I could start a club!
Cheers,
ab
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7 Jan 2009
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MissMelissa12
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I agree with many of you.
Mena, I admire your worksheets, forums topics, experience and everything. I give you the respect you deserve. I also thank you for your nice comments on mine.
It is true we like good comments on our worksheets. BUt I dont think ��not leaving a comment�� is something that bad.
When i see someone downloaded a worksheet of mine, I feel satisfied that someone else were helpt by it. Even if they didnt leave a comment. Doesn�t it mean that they downloaded it because they liked it and found it useful? I do think so.
I am honest and I think I left a comment only few times . I haven�t downloaded so many anyway since all the time I�ve been here. And yeah when I see that person has a lot of comments I think its not necesary anymore.
Its normal though that we like being prized, rewarded ... Mena, when I download one of your worksheets , I�ll try to remember to leave a comment. I promise.
I�m sorry if I ever offended someone for not leaving a comment and I thank all the people who has ever left a comment on my worksheets and the ones who has downloaded them without leaving a comment as well.
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7 Jan 2009
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MissMelissa12
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P. S Personally I feel very commited to this site, I love the fact that I can share my ideas with other teachers. I know the work that making a worksheet demands since i am one of those people behind. I post more worksheets than I download ...I just love creating worksheets- and of course I have affection for this community and a big respect for expert teachers like you who are on this site only for ��love to the teaching labour.
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7 Jan 2009
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blizzard1
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Hello Mr. Scrooge 
I praise your honesty although I don�t agree with your point of view.
Mena I agree with you and I compare downloading others work with getting a present. It�s good manners to say thank you whenever you get a present. Good manners are based on consideration for other people.
We all like to get a thank you when we give a present. It doesn�t matter if many others have thanked us. We want to get a thanks from everyone who received our present.
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7 Jan 2009
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ameliarator
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I agree that it�s nice to receive positive feedback, but I think it�s a little harsh to suggest that people who don�t say thanks for the worksheets they download lack manners or education, and I especially disagree that these people don�t know how much work goes into making materials: after all we all must contribute worksheets to download so presumably we know first hand the amount of work they take!
Also, as some others have mentioned, I think a meaningful comment can be better than the routine "thanks." �I certainly appreciate thanks, but I try to leave comments on worksheets that seem extra clever or well done (even beyond the normal excellence of most printables here!).
Finally, I am glad that this issue was brought up, because I didn�t realize that people felt hurt or frustrated by a lack of comments. �I will try to leave more comments now!
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7 Jan 2009
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