Note Worthy

If you can read this, thank a teacher. ~ Anonymous

Now that the new semester has started, I can’t help but think about those notes that my kids will surely leave on my door. As it is, I’ve already got two. If I were to keep every single note I received throughout the 13 years I have been here, I would have bundles and bundles of them and there would be no way that these bundles would not be obstructing the already limited space in my office.

There are actually many reasons why kids leave notes. I've identified four.

1. To ask for class schedule and venue and which group they’re supposed to sign up for. I got lots and lots of these in the past when I taught those English proficiency courses. A common content would be:

Puan, saya pelajar dari Fakulti XXX, ingin tahu bila dan dimanakah kelas XXX akan diadakan.

Yeah, right. When everything is already in the time table book that has been given to you and the schedule is already pasted on my notice board. At one time, after about 10 or so of this kind of notes, I finally put up a big sign on my door (in the same language that the kids have used in their notes):

Saya tidak akan melayan soalan2 yang remeh temeh seperti kelas dimana, pukul berapa, dan hari apa. Sila rujuk kepada jadual waktu di papan kenyataan saya (dikiri anda).

2. To ask about assignments. I seldom get this type of notes but here’s one good example:

Dear Madam,

If you want to give me back my assignment, I don’t care. If you don’t want to give me back my assignment also, I don’t care.

Err, did you mean I don’t mind?

3. To ask when will I be free so they can ask me about things other than class schedule or assignments. I can get annoyed sometimes especially when they write like this:

Miss, I came to see you here just now but you were not in. When will you be in your office? I want to see you.

Err, I guess they think my job is to sit in the office at all times and open the door anytime they knock. Note the authoritative-bossy command: I want to see you.

4. To ask for my advice on which courses they need to take. Here’s one very good example-

Assalammualaikum

Hello Ms. Z. I’m XXXX, director of the animated adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s Happy Endings (now with over 3000 views on Youtube!).
Anyway, as you already know, you are my advisor for my Master’s of World Literature. Thus I have to meet with you to dicuss what courses I must take. Can you inform me when you are free and in your office? I must return to my home, but will be present at UPM on Thursday and Friday. I am reachable at this number: XXXXXX and this email address: XXXXX@XXXXX. Please inform me as soon as you can. Thank you.

Aww..how sweet!

Do’s and Don’ts of Leaving Notes For Your Lecturer (I highly recommend this as one of the components in any Study Skills 101):

Do:

1. Start with a greeting.
2. Acknowledge the lecturer’s name and address him/her properly. (In my case, it’s Ms. Madam and Puan are funny because I am nobody’s Madam or Puan, and Miss (without Zainor) makes me feel like I’m a waitress or a sales girl).
3. Introduce yourself and jumpstart the lecturer’s memory with your achievement (e.g. a class project that left an impact on the lecturer).
4. Leave your contact details.
5. Leave your name.
6. Use those magic words (e.g. Hello, Please, Thank you).

Don’t:

1. Ask things that are already obvious or already pasted on my notice board.
2. Write in your mother tongue (unless it’s English).
3. Say I don’t care when you actually care.
4. Write in that bossy tone (e.g. I want to see you. Only my boss can say this to me).
5. Make me guess your identity.

6. Accuse me of leaving my room without your consent.