If I were inclined to make a comparison between teaching EFL in China and teaching lazy high school brats in America - which I am not, I suppose your comment in that regard would hold merit. However, my inclination leans more toward focusing on the situation at hand because 1) my concern is for the future of these students and 2) because as someone who has no intention of returning to the States I care about the future of this country. Nor do I subscribe to the belief that simply because "cream rises" the milk should be discarded. Actually, I'm pretty sure that you'd agree that we should try to reach all of our students. Sure, it's not always possible, but it's worth trying.

I agree with you Old Goat that our focus as EFL teachers should be on steering our students toward creative thought and I doubt if you found anything in my post that would suggest otherwise. In fact, I have a group of students, now in their third year, that I've been with for two years and the spirited and uninhibited communication that we now enjoy often illustrates that they are, at the very least, approaching that ability - even to the point of often delightfully surprising me. Moreover, the energy that I spend on them is not anymore incalculable than that which you accuse me of spending on decrying the notion of graduating students who have failed to meet the requirements as ostensibly laid out for them when they first arrived. No, they have reached that point simply through the allowance of a kind of communication that is free flowing and non demanding. Yet I'm sure that each of those students would agree that the practice of allowing the privileged class to walk away with an undeserved diploma is, well, just that - a recognition of privilege and no more.

"Furthermore, deign to take yourself too seriously."

I assume you meant "..... don't deign to take yourself too seriously." If I didn't take this job seriously, like any other job I've had, be it the meanest - such as dish washing, or otherwise, I wouldn't respect myself. I'm not here for the cheap beer or the women, like other FT's I've met. No, I originally came here as an employee of a well known American university for the specific reason of expending my energies toward the purpose of helping China achieve its goal of becoming a respected member of the world body. As for bemoaning what I see as an unbalanced situation, maybe that 's my nature. I also bemoan the lawlessness that seems to become more rampant the further one gets from the "seat of the empire." And I don't do so just as a mental exercise or to extol my own virtuous recognition of the value of the rule of law. No, I do so simply because any civilization that ignores the rule of law well not, in my opinion, reach its full potential.

Finally, although some of your advice is well placed, I can't help but feel that you have missed the point of my missive. I'm not satisfied with the notion of allowing the students in question, those who have not properly applied themselves, to be future failures once the truth of their incompetence is made obvious. I'd rather the issue of said incompetence was addressed when it arises; albeit, with honesty coupled with compassion and a clear explanation of what it means for their future as well as the future of China.

By the way, thanks for all the interesting quotes - great food for thought. But truthfully I think I, and perhaps others, would find it to be more interesting were you to share with us your success at getting your students to "THINK" and how you achieved that.