Best saying of Mr.Lee

“NO HOMEWORK!”

My response? “You made my day!”

When Mr. Lee does not give us homework, the rest of my day is the best. When I hear that, I feel happy, free, grateful, and enthusiastic. Being enthusiastic without homework seems to be ironic but it is definitely true. When I have his assignment, I am somewhat under the pressure. I am not saying that I hate any homework. It is usual for teachers to give assignment to their students. However, Mr. Lee gives us homework that requires my whole body and brain to move and work. I have to be fully into his homework especially Theme analysis. I, a non-native speaker, have to spend a lot of time working on it and to create the perfect essay with full potential.

I asked Mr. Lee why he gave us an assignment. His answer was “To reinforce your learning. You learn and you will forget!” Yeah. I understand. But the thing is too much. Too short due date. Whenever I have a lot of homework for him, I first get bored or tired before I even start it. I do not like English Literature or thematic responses. I have no problem with having Stat homework. I can do stat homework with what I learn from today’s lecture. However English homework is different. I require me to think and think and think and critically think! Not just from the lecture. I know we need that training for being creative and surviving in today’s society. But not from English essay. Like this journal, I am okay with writing down my ideas or thoughts. However, to analyze the contexts with literary devices gives me hard time. I guess people who are not native English speakers would understand how I feel. Even it is hard for native English speakers. I understand that he needs to give us homework to make sure we are learning, on the right track and working. That is what teachers are supposed do and that is what students are supposed to do. I understand. But I just want him to be more generous and be reasonable. Perhaps, He can try to expand the due date or reduce the word limits.

Personally, Mr. Lee is a nice advisor who gives me some life lessons and makes me think seriously and deeply. To me, he looks like he is living his life in good faith and conceptual thinking. Even though he uses English all the time, I feel some national homogeneity as a Korean. I feel safe and more comfortable to him more than I do to other teachers even though he seems not to help me. But I know he loves me as a student as I love him as a teacher!