my greatest gripe

abc ask me a question. i ask abc to read certain parts of the textbook. after reading it, abc goes, "oh ya hor"

pqr made a statement. i told xyz that the statement is conceptually wrong, and suggest xyz read a certain part of the textbook. xyz goes "not meh?" and refuse to check.

xyz ask me a question. i ask xyz to read certain parts of the textbook. after reading it, xyz still don't understand.

how will you respond to abc, pqr and xyz?

if abc and pqr does it once or twice, i don't really mind. but after 'n' number of questions which would not need to ask if abc or pqr have just read the textbook carefully or check the textbook before asking, i would usually tell them off. 

however, i wouldn't tell xyz off and choose to explain to xyz. 

why the difference?

for the case of abc and pqr, the textbook works for them. but if they were to ask me before checking, and i were to continue entertaining that request, i'm only making them become more reliant on me, when they have the capability to make sense on their own.

for the case of xyz, the textbook doesn't work for him/her. hence, he/she require a different set of explanation and teachers' assistance to make sense of the topic. therefore, i wouldn't tell xyz off.

even if abc and pqr have read the textbook cover to cover 10 00 times, i will still tell them off for not checking before asking. it may not take more than a minute to reply the question, but it creates a dependency and reliance that is bad for abc and pqr, when it is shown that they can understand it on their own if they double check.

i would create a dependancy for xyz, but if he can't depend on the textbook or the materials he has, then who does he have to turn to?

i'm not here to be mr popular. that is easy to do. be mr nice guy and answer everything, even if it doesn't benefit you.