I'm currently studying to become a teacher of college writing. Since I've been in school, two things have been bothering me. Number one, it's become painfully obvious that we no longer find it important to teach our youngsters grammar. None of the skill and drill, sentence diagramming, spelling bees, memorization of parts of speech that I had as a child. Does this surprise you? I am curious to hear your reply. Yet as a teacher, I know I will be grading my students on their effective use of grammar. I will expect them to know proper grammar, and I will be evaluating their writing ability. I have trouble with this seeming dichotomy. We don't teach them the rules of grammar when they're young, yet we expect them to have mastery of the rules when they're older. Is this fair?
Number two, I have been patiently and diligently informed of the new procedures for teaching writing. Are you aware of these? Writing is a process, not just a [written] product. This process consists of brainstorming, composing, and revising. It is more important that students be informed about the process that "real" writers go through in creating their work than it is for them to be concerned with their final product. In the students' readings and in their writing, valuing diversity and understanding gender differences are the most important things, more important even than using proper grammar or forming artful written constructions. In fact, how dare I use the term "proper grammar," I should remember there is no such thing as "proper" grammar. No adult, I have been informed, consciously makes mistakes in grammar, because each of us grows up internalizing the rules of grammar so how could we get it wrong? I wonder about this as I grade papers with awkward word choices and improperly used apostrophes and misplaced modifiers; do you see how easy it is to get confused? Yet the experts say grammar "mistakes" are merely alternatives with no current social cachet.
So I ponder the new teaching methods, as I'm told the methods I grew up with are useless and outdated, possibly even harmful and cruel. Heck, I don't even recall in my younger grades being able to turn in a rough draft for my teacher's review and for the possibility of revision! At any rate, I have the question - So are the students writing better today? I mean they have the benefit of new and improved teaching techniques, enlightened practices, enthusiastic teachers. I look around me and see and hear evidence that indeed the students are not. But I don't want to seem shortsighted. To enhance my knowledge about this subject, I consulted an expert. I read John McWhorter's book Doing Your Own Thing: The Degradation of Language and Music and Why We Should, Like, Care.
Number two, I have been patiently and diligently informed of the new procedures for teaching writing. Are you aware of these? Writing is a process, not just a [written] product. This process consists of brainstorming, composing, and revising. It is more important that students be informed about the process that "real" writers go through in creating their work than it is for them to be concerned with their final product. In the students' readings and in their writing, valuing diversity and understanding gender differences are the most important things, more important even than using proper grammar or forming artful written constructions. In fact, how dare I use the term "proper grammar," I should remember there is no such thing as "proper" grammar. No adult, I have been informed, consciously makes mistakes in grammar, because each of us grows up internalizing the rules of grammar so how could we get it wrong? I wonder about this as I grade papers with awkward word choices and improperly used apostrophes and misplaced modifiers; do you see how easy it is to get confused? Yet the experts say grammar "mistakes" are merely alternatives with no current social cachet.
So I ponder the new teaching methods, as I'm told the methods I grew up with are useless and outdated, possibly even harmful and cruel. Heck, I don't even recall in my younger grades being able to turn in a rough draft for my teacher's review and for the possibility of revision! At any rate, I have the question - So are the students writing better today? I mean they have the benefit of new and improved teaching techniques, enlightened practices, enthusiastic teachers. I look around me and see and hear evidence that indeed the students are not. But I don't want to seem shortsighted. To enhance my knowledge about this subject, I consulted an expert. I read John McWhorter's book Doing Your Own Thing: The Degradation of Language and Music and Why We Should, Like, Care.
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