miserable and bitter lesson

8/6/2019 Miserable and Bitter Lesson

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Miserable and Bitter Lesson

My name is Son Nam, a student from 9D1. It’s appropriately 3 years since I

become a student in this university, An Giang University. From the time to now, there are

so many successes I got, obviously failures too. Whatever failure I am always proud of

what I did and believe in my capacity, especially IT skill. However everything seems to

be up side down until now. That is the time when I study IT Integration course. The

terrible failures all have come without my expectation. That is a extreme degrading thing

to me who is strongly confident with his IT ability. Exactly saying, that is a Miserable

and Bitter Lesson which is my precious perception of this course.

My Pride

When I joined in this course, I didn’t think that I would gain any IT skill. With

me, everything looks to be in my hand. Truly, from 12 th grade, I have been the best of my

school in IT through MS Access and Turbo Pascal class. MS office is no chore to me. I’m

more proud of my ability when I can work together with my brother - an IT student in

AGU in many of his projects, from C++ to Java. And that the chance for me to show my

proud ability which I think that I will knock out any of my friends has come when I

register this course.

Hurriedly reading the book in the Tet, I felt easy and relax without noticing to the

book anymore. It was simple I had thought that I knew everything in the book. Although

there is more than a half of software which is unknown, I feel no interest with preview

what the book says. For me, I can learn an application software in minutes and work well

Lâm Sơn Nam

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on it. Indeed, I have known how to use these tools in one day after the Tet, even look for

more relevant software.

Not until did the important project come, I felt free to choose what I had no idea

about. Actually, that was flash and webpage designing. I announced The English Study

1.0 in front of class and thought it would be perfect product. Also, I created a heavy

rubric for my webpage.

Finally, it is the presentation day when I had to show my product. Observe other

groups’ products, I had shown my highness again. I felt a little bit modest to say to

Quyen that I could do the others’ products in 1 week. Actually, in my mind I must have

been 3 days. Indeed, some group work on online webpage which is signed up for free on

internet with available forum and available admin management section. And that I had

created three webpage like that. For the using mind map or using violet groups, it was so

easy as if we drag and release because they are applications which are written by another

and that there is no one who would like to use them to study.

Preparation for Project

As assigned by the teacher, each group would have a month for their project.

Frankly saying, it is not a good duration for a project with too many unknown tools like

English Study 1.0. Practically, I had wasted much time before I started learning flash and

dreamwaver in spite of my partner’s worry.

At the first week, I tried to spend 3 day for teaching my partner some software for

her pronunciation video. She worked very hard although she sometimes made me angry

with her knowledge acquiring but it was no problem because she is not good at IT at all.

The second and third week passed with only her working and asking while I just began to



download the Flash MX 8 and Photoshop CS5. It was not until the final week came. That

time, I start studying how to write code and how to use Flash MX’s tools. It took me 2

day for Flash and one day and a half for dreamwaver. “Terribly, I have 3 day and night

working on the project before the deadline”. However, every thing was not out of my

control. Finally, I had my complete product for presentation day. At this time, I felt more

confident to come there to win and to show the product of a mighty one.

From Surprise #1 to Surprise #N

With the thoughts of a strong man, I was confident to join in the presentation

room to get my 10 marks because the space between me and other is a long distance.

Concentrating on my friends’ presentation, I felt funny. I myself wonder “what are they

doing? Are they talking about their product? Why don’t they show me the way which

they worked with their product? How can teacher know that is their products?”

However, the teacher just disagrees with my way to present which told them

how to create the product. I feel so angry and unpleasant. If they realize my technology

in my product, I thought uncomfortably.

Forgetting all uncomfortable things, I looked for the result, especially my

reflection paper but I had done a laughing thing – a F grade - for everyone. I can believe

what I hope would be interesting to teacher. It was became a F. Immediately, a collapsing

happen in my mind. “Oh god, my pride is a F which is lowest in class for me – a IT one”.

“I’m beaten by any Non-IT in class”.

Incredibly, I got two big failures on IT which I can NOT accept to in one month.

A Precious Lesson



I didn’t think that I will write again my paper in the second chance which teacher

gave to me. Passing away shocking feelings, I think back my failure. “Am I weak in IT –

No, I am weak in hearing and following instructions. I am weak because my pride or my

highness”. Indeed, it is actually a class for English Major Students not for IT Students

who want to show their material arts. And that we have to apply not to create. However

powerful I am if I do NOT follow that the teacher assign, my power is useless. Simply, I

found that I did follow neither project instruction nor reflection paper instructions. Only

if I were more modest, I would have been successful. It is late for my course of IT

integration but it is in time for me to know my weakness. I must have think that I got

some things new from this course: flash and web designing, skill to deliver IT knowledge

to my partner and a good lesson - a Miserable and Bitter Lesson.

In conclusion, every one has changed much after this course. They have skill on

group work, new IT skills or even presentation skills. For me, I found that the course has

taught me value of life. “You will never be the strongest one if you think yourself as the

strongest one.”

miserable and bitter lesson

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