Week 1- St. Augustine's Dilemma

This week is the week that the official curriculum calls...something, and I call "St. Augustine's Dilemma."

I call it that because I spend the week focusing on this quotation that I read somewhere and attributed to St. Augustine.

"I do not understand my own nature. Why do I do the things that I know I should not and fail to do the things which I know I should?"

I read it again a little while ago, and it turns out it was actually St. Paul.

But it's totally something that Augustine would have said.

Also, now that I think of it, this question isn't what we could accurately call a dilemma.

I unhelpfully to my students, and helpfully to myself believe that English language instruction, like English itself, is mostly about the spirit of intention. So that's fine.

I like to consider this question with my students because I want to know the answer. Roughly 45% of the monkeys in my mind are currently conducting research into this inquiry. Because I think that if we could crack it, I could solve all of my problems.

Every time I think I've got the answer, though, I don't. Or it's not practically applicable and therefore not satisfying.

If you know, please tell me. Until then, I'll keep asking these ESL students.