Sample or Original Essay?

There was a Literature teacher famous for her harshness in my high school. She didn't demand "good writing skills" like other teachers, but she wanted students to be able to express their ideas clearly. Her grading method also differed from other teachers, often making students uncomfortable. There was a period when she taught my class, and we were mischievous then. Since we wanted to focus on our specialized subject, we neglected other ones. For Literature, we copied a lot of sample essays and didn't take them seriously. As a result, we were very rebellious and unserious in class. Sometimes, when the teacher said there would be a test, we agreed not to take it because we hadn't studied at home.

I was conflicted with my classmates at that time because I admired that Literature teacher. When it came to Literature, I wanted to write essays straight to the point with 4-5 ideas listed, even if this went opposite the standard format. When I did that, I was often criticized by other Literature teachers, and they gave me low grades. But when I met her, she was highly encouraging. She said my writing was good, and I had some ideas. I even remember that she gave me high marks in some of my essays and noted areas where I could improve, such as where I didn't stay on topic or used too many synonyms in one sentence.

For example, there was a time when she asked for my class' opinions about Xuân Diệu's perception of time instead of description. I found this to be very unique. If my class followed the textbook model, we would write in the descriptive style rather than analyzing how Xuân Diệu's life influenced his perception of time and why he wanted time to stop at this point. When I was asked that kind of question, I really liked it. I wrote that this man was foolish in my essay. I said that every age has its advantages, not just adolescence, when one is full of energy. I even wondered if Xuân Diệu had explored what old age is like before stating that youth is the most beautiful age. I disagreed with that viewpoint. So I expressed a different opinion from him. At that time, the Literature teacher was very supportive. She praised my essay in front of the class, saying that since others were writing in the same dull style, she had to commend and encourage this unique one. Although my essay was not fully developed and lacked depth, she still gave me a high grade to motivate me because I genuinely considered her question rather than simply writing a lengthy essay to fill the page.

At that time, I was the class monitor, so when teachers wanted feedback or questions, they often asked me. When my Literature teacher asked me, I told her I adored her. When she asked other students, they seemed to have no opinion, but clearly, those who received low grades would protest. They would protest in a way that the lower their grades would be, the less they brought their school books and didn't study this lesson, and then the teacher would be willing to score them 1 or 2. Usually, other teachers would erase those low grades. But once, the Literature teacher recorded her grades in the main book, not the daily log. If someone were recorded in that main book, low grades would be marked permanent and could not be erased. Then the two sides (the Literature teacher and my class) were at odds continuously. Finally, my classmates raised their voices to change Literature teacher, and the school intervened.

Vì trường mình là trường chuyên nên sẽ có chỉ tiêu từ Bộ Giáo Dục. Hình như cứ khoảng sau 3 năm mà không có học sinh nào vào đội tuyển quốc gia hay đi thi học sinh giỏi quốc gia thì sẽ mất danh hiệu chuyên đấy. Vì thế trong các học sinh chuyên sẽ có một nhóm được đảm bảo là đạt danh hiệu học sinh giỏi để có thể vào đội tuyển quốc gia. Lớp mình lúc đó có nhiều bạn được cân nhắc vào đội tuyển lắm, nên nhà trường thấy là nếu điểm môn Văn thấp quá thì cô Văn đang loại mất rất nhiều những đứa trong đội tuyển. Cuối cùng nhà trường chọn bênh học sinh, và không phản hồi lại với cô. Cô giáo ấy đã bị thuyên chuyển sang lớp khác.