No matter how many drops fall on my palm,
They instantly dry up like sand grains;
And no matter how tightly I hold them,
They permeat the pores.
A bucket I then take,
Which I put under the dripping tap.
And the minute it fills to the brim,
I plunge my hand into it; my palm gets soaked at last.No matter how many drops fall on my palm,
They instantly dry up like sand grains;
And no matter how tightly I hold them,
They permeat the pores.
A bucket I then take,
Which I put under the dripping tap.
And the minute it fills to the brim,
I plunge my hand into it; my palm gets soaked at last.
I know that if I make up my mind to learn French, I will no longer have much free time. I will have to read as many French novels as I have done in English. And I am of course ready to do that at any time. However, every time I look back on my knowledge of English, I still feel an insatiable and strong desire to read more voraciously in order to improve my writing skills more. It is something that I can not help. Up to now, I do not think I can do the same with French. I will only take this challenge only when I feel that my voice must be heard in French. Time alone will tell whether or not I will be a writer in French.
As I was one day conversing with a university teacher, I raised this topic. And to my utter surprise, he definitely agreed with me, the thing I had not expected. When I told him about the languages I spoke then, he said that I had to focus so much on one language so that I would produce something. This doesn’t necessarily mean that I should not exceed one language. One can learn many languages at the same time, but he must choose the language he is going to write in. This choice is a must, for writing needs concentration, mature efforts and great mastery.
Last summer, I had the chance to talk to Mohamed Khair Eddine’s father. Khair Eddine was a great Moroccan novelist and poet. Sartre once described this author the greatest exponent of the French language alive at the time. One of the questions I asked his father was how many languages his son used to speak. He said that he spoke Berber, his mother tongue, Arabic, and French. He added that his son mastered French so powerfully that other French famous authors like Beckett made his acquaintance. At the time, I was so curious to know the secret to his son becoming a genius among the French intelligentsia.
It was only after some time did I learn from his father that he had read voraciously mainly in French . He concentrated on one language. Thus, he succeeded in producing great literary works. Frankly speaking, I do not believe that he would have succeeded in reaching this literary position had he studied many languages simultaneously. I would say that studying many languages at the same time is favourable, but do not it take for granted that by doing so, you will one day manage to write as prominently as distinguished authors do. Fear of the latter problem is behind deciding not to write in another language.
My story with some university teachers began in 2006 when I was first taught by them. In fact, I have a great deal to say about them, particularly about their teaching methods and treatment of their students. Yet, all other aspects of their teaching career are not my concerns for the time being, for the treatment that my friends and I have received would suffice. My experience as a university student has greatly paved the way for me to become a lenient teacher, especially that I have learnt a lot from my university teachers’ injustices towards their students.
I do not necessarily mean by injustice that students got low grades or that they exerted themselves harder than normal to validate the modules. As far back as my university days are concerned, I must admit that I admired most of my ex-professors and that I loathed the rest. I do not blame the rest for not teaching us effectively, nor do I abhor them for assigning hard tasks which were demanding on us. Even though I ranked first at university, I had no choice but to leave it altogether. Forsaking it to join CPR was mainly due to a few professors.
In my second year, I had already got excellent grades. I was so glad about this achievement. With time, a new teacher of lingusitics was appointed to teach us. I can’t express in words how much I like this field. Unfortunately, the teacher did not live up to my expectations, not because he was idle or mean, but simply because he did not correct our exam papers. I also heard that he had never done. And the worse problem is that he gave good marks to those who did not deserve them. I am not saying so out of my judgement. No ! Some girls themselves told me that they were given excellent marks by him which they had never expected. They felt that their success was undeserved.
I still vividly remember when a female classmate of mine asked me incessantly for answers during the exam. She was sitting at the table behind me, and she was on the verge of weeping when I refused to give her answers. She had nothing to write on her sheet and had no other choice but to submit it blank. The teacher in question was then teaching us two subjects, Linguistics and Business Writing. He was the only teacher who did not show us our exam papers. When semester one came to an end, I was shocked to learn that the girl who begged me for answers earned the highest mark and I, the average mark. On that day, she came to me and said out of humour that I should have revised for the exam. At that very moment, I was at a loss.
Two days later, I managed to contact the teacher so as to have a look at my own exam paper. I complained to him about the injustice he did me. And he promised to bring me the paper the following day. To my dismay, he did not come. I came to university many times, but in vain. I did not know that the day I asked him for the paper was the last time I would ever see him. I went angry for many days. It was only when I received a call from the girl, telling me that she got that mark because the teacher knew her sister very well. At least, I felt quite relieved, for I at last knew the truth.
To my utter astonishment, I learnt from other students in other classes that they faced the same problem. They uttered their complaints, but like me, they received no response whatsoever. Afterwards, I made up my mind to have a close look at all the marks on the lists. I finally discovered that the marks the university teacher gave his students were symmetrical. That is, one third of the class got an excellent grade, one third, an average mark, and one third, a poor mark. It depends on what third you belong to. One had only to pray for the first third. This was the first teacher that had unfairly classified me into the second third.
The attribute that most university teachers have in common as far as their treatment of their students is concerned is that they unconsciouly choose to live in the ivory tower. Recently, I registered at Cady Ayad university. I went there a few days ago and whenever I met one of my potential teachers, he looked down on me and answered me by saying he was in a rush. Seldom have I met considerate ones. I do not really know what is wrong with our Moroccan university teachers. Anyway, there is only one lesson that I have learnt from such sorts of professors. The lesson is that I should be so cautious to grade my students fairly, to treat both girls and boys on an equal footing and to give them the benefit of the doubt all the time.
A couple of weeks had gone by when I paid a colleage of mine a visit in Tagounit, a town located on the outskirts of Zagora city. At last, I went there, for I had always wanted to borrow from him some books as he had promised me. And I soon made up my mind to explore the area as well. As soon as we had lunch, talked about some professional issues and discussed some personal subjects, he and I decided to have a walk outside the town. We went by motorcycle to the nearest village. And here began my contemplation of every single object, house and human being.
No sooner had we gone a few kilometers far from the town than I began to see many pupils coming from, and going to, the nearby school. I noticed that most of them were leading a bleak life. Their family have no stable livelihood except what they earn from selling dates each year. The village is mainly noted for the latter. As we were getting along the road, I caught a glimpse of a young pupil sitting under a tree. The satchel was between his legs, and he was folding his arms. Frankly, I did not pay any more attention to him as I regarded him as a mere pupil seeking rest or shadow under a tree.
As we moved forward, out of curiosity, I could not help casting more glances at the pupil in question. I too received some glances on his part, but his eyes were reddish and gloomy-looking ; his face, dejected and some wrinkles suddenly formed on his forehead. I that instant knew that he was a victim of a certain predicament. Anyway, Elhussein, my colleague, and I went directly to the river which was close to the school he was teaching in. We stayed there for two hours, beholding the shining river. I so much appreciated the trees which grew on the river. Standing by the riverside, it was such a real panoramic view !
I soon gave up the idea of the pupil. Only when we were turning back on our way to the town were I taken aback. I found the same pupil under another tree. This time he was standing and looking at us. Actually, I stopped to greet the pupil. Then, I began to ask him some personal questions. Though a trifle sad and introverted, the pupil at last managed to respond to nearly all my questions. The response that drew my attention most was when he said that he stayed under the tree the whole afternoon. He added it was because one of his teachers asked him to go out.
In fact, he told me that he had not brought the required notebooks their teacher asked him for. He added that last year he ranked third at school. The crux of the matter, he stressed, lied in that his father passed away a few weeks ago and as a result his family could not afford to buy him what he needed. He also told me that he frequently went on foot to school. And I was shocked to learn from him that the school he studied in was seven kilometers far from his home.
As I was in a rush, for my friend was impatiently awaiting me while talking to the pupil, I had to bid the latter goodbye. On my way to Zagora center, the question that remained on my mind for the rest of that day was how come the teacher did not have some consideration for this pupil. Perhaps, the teacher is not originally from there and had no idea how most pupils led their lives in remote villages.
I really have no idea how many pupils have already sat under those trees. But it goes without saying that many already did. Personally, as long as the pupil is not disruptive, I will never send him out. By saying so, I am not encouraging idleness on the part of pupils. I simply stress that with some pupils like the one I mentioned, attending classes with no notebooks would be better than sitting under a tree, doing nothing.
“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning,” said Mark twain. First and foremost, we can never draw an analogy between the lightning bug, an insect, and the lightning, a flash in the sky. It is simply due to the fact that the features of the insect have nothing to do with those of the flash in the sky. The insect moves along the ground, eats grass, and climbs the tree leaves, while the flash in the sky is caused by electricity when it’s both rainy and windy.
The same thing can be true of words we use in everyday life to communicate with one another. Writers write articles, stories, poems, etc. to convey their messages as clearly as possible. Speakers do the same orally. However, the crust of the matter lies in whether or not we use the right words to do so. As the author said, even the almost right words will be at the expense of the message being imparted. As far as my reading experience is concerned, while reading any book or article, I continue to do so with interest until I come across some words not appropriately used. On the spot, I put it down and take another one.
Frankly, this has always been my habit. Here, it would suffice to state some instances that make me stop reading certain articles, books, comments, etc. Here are some that I have read somewhere.
1. “ many of my buddies have coaxed me to study arts because I feel that I’m that so good at them”
2.“that’s a nice shot. What can be better than shinining rivers?”
3.“I was appointed to teach by the adherence of the academy”
4.“ you are up to the challenge”
5.“ you’re so nice;”
6.“ so true! I can’t wait to read it.”
7.“ needless to say, it’s so fantastic”.
8.“there is some vitality in what you say; you’re wholly confident; my eyes are on you”
10.“ bear with the problem; or you can see the one dearer to you”
11.“that’s a really asinine topic, you have opened the doors for many of us”
12.“ get out of the dungeons of ignorance”
13.“wonderfully put together piece of writing; I just penned it while contemplating the horizon”
14.“ I dwell too much in my own thoughts”
15.“ it was not completely unexpected”
16.“it sounds as if you I don’t where I will begin”
17.“this strategy is quite inaccessible; you have opened the doors for many of us; communication with you is a piece of cake”.
18.“ By the examination of your mind machine; I’m on the alert to respond to your writings”
Each of the above examples can be understood by any reader, but are we using the right word through which we can impart our ideas with ease? I do not think so. Everyone can understand them, but they are in danger of misunderstanding the writer.
In (1), the writer is using “coax” to persuade someone to study arts. It can be the almost right word, not the right word simply because “coax” has a negative connotation, meaning persuading someone to trick another one into doing something wrong like stealing, playing a trick on people, etc. The writer thinks he has conveyed the message clearly, but unfortunately he was not using the right word to do so. When I read it, I thought studying arts is something tricky and must not be done.
In (3), though I understand that this person was appointed by the academy, I am still confused as to what he meant by “adherence”. What kind of appointment is it? I really have no idea. In (7), from time to time, we writers use this fixed expression, but I personally don’t feel like using it whatsoever. It’s an empty expression for me. Why did the writer say “fantastic” when it is needless to say so? This is sheer contradiction.
I do not need to write critically of each sentence simply because the writer himself can do so if he really reconsiders them and peruses them painstakingly. Suffice it to say that some of us are not acutely aware of the importance of the right word. Only when do we have our writings misunderstood or explained wrongly by the reader do we come to know its significance.
If my memory serves me rightly, I would say that I belonged to the second for a very short time and then went on to belong to the first group for the rest of my life. As a middle school student, I used to claim to accomplish things. I would tell my parents that I did well at school. I would tell my classmates that I did well in the quizzes I sat for and I even showed them my grades. However, with time, I sooner or later had to belong to the first group. I would attribute this sudden change to my maturity. To my surprise, most students still belong to the second group.
I still vividly remember this when I was a university student. We all sat for countless exams then, but the thing that differentiated one from another was the fact that some of us chose to reveal what they wrote on the exam paper, while others chose to keep their leaps sealed until the markes were given to us. If someone accomplish things confidently, inside he feels it needless to say it to others. As for others who claim to accomplish things, they have to say it to their peers, for they are not confident enough about their work.
Let us draw an analogy between the two groups from the psychological point of view. The fact that those who claim to accomplish things do not do well in their academic life, while those who accomplish things without claiming do really well can be explained in this manner : because of their weakness or incompetence, some university students feel compelled to say whatever they do in class to other students either to show off or to confirm that they too are great. As for the other group, provided that they have already done well, they see no point in explaining every single question or answer.
Recently, as I was making for my class, I heard a teacher complaing of a sore throat to the headmaster. I stopped to say hello to both. And when the headmaster enquired why, the teacher replied that it was because he talked a lot in class and explained things for so long. I am sorry to say that I had to burst into laughter when I heard that. But I tried hard not to show it. A few weeks later, the same teacher came again one day, complaining to one of the administrators that time did not suffice him to complete all the lessons. I really have no idea why he claimed to have accomplished all these trivial things in his class.
One day, on the bus, some teachers and I were discussing certain things about the educational system. Out of the blue, a teacher of Arabic intervened to say that the report he had lately written on the level of his students won the first prize. Worse, he began to get into the details of it. I couldn’t stand it. Everyone has the right to claim to me what he accomplishes but only when I enquire about it.
