defense of teaching the mechanics of writing
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In a message dated 7/14/02 12:23:42 PM, melinda2u@... writes:
<< That idiot teacher could do no better than mark up my
paper for "incorrect sentence structure". Makes you
wonder if any of these teachers actually consider the
merits of REAL Literature, with all it's rule breaking
and original perspective. Or, do they actually Enjoy
the crap examples in grammar text books? >>
When I was teaching writing to kids I very rarely commented on the structure
or content, because in many cases that was their private business. I usually
ONLY went for mechanics of writing.
When I'm teaching beginning calligraphers, I don't want them to imagine what
a Carolingian "f" COULD have looked at, I want them to learn to copy actual
period examples.
When I'm helping people learn to play recorder (as I did with Kirby a couple
of nights ago), I really do want them to tongue every note. YES there are
exceptions galore after you learn to do it right, but it's one thing to
choose when not to tongue, and another not to have the skill to do it and so
just skip and claim "art."
With calligraphy, in fact there might be hundreds of different examples of
extant Carolingian hand, with a large range of forms of letters. But that's
not the same as "unlimited" or "no rules." Some of the most wonderful
calligraphy is someone "doing a riff" on some descender, or getting way artsy
with a line ending or a capital letter.
Literature is full of exceptions. Jazz is full of exceptions.
But when a person is cluefree about how to do something "right," his
"embellishments" aren't creativity so much as flailing around.
Some people's flailing around creates art. There are artists and musicians
who pretty much made it up on their own. Some have an audience of one,
though, and are only amusing themselves. Others discover something that has
broader appeal.
< Or, do they actually Enjoy
the crap examples in grammar text books?>>
I have always enjoyed the history of English, the technicalities of
punctuation, the changing fashions involving word use and style. I've never
expected everyone else to think it was cool, but I actually enjoyed the crap
examples in grammar textbooks, sometime.
That said, I never once used a grammar text book when I was teaching. We
kept the books in their boxes at the back of the room, and used dictionaries.
We played games with parts of speech sometimes, and goofed with them various
ways. We would lay out all the synonyms we could think of for something and
try to identify without looking them up which were of what origin, and which
were the oldest.
<<But I am certain that the passion I have for
the written word was long delayed due to those years
of forced writing.
<<Shame on them.>>
I'm not ashamed for using writing to help people write. Our usual in-class
writing system was that they were to write three one-page (or longer)
anythings. Little stories, reviews, opinions. It didn't matter. Three
pages. They picked the one they liked best, or thought was the best on top,
fastened the three together and over the weekend I read through at least all
the top pages, sometimes more. I wasn't criticizing their organization or
style. That was going to get better as they just wrote more. I was only
looking at mechanics. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure.
I could have collected my paycheck without doing that. I could have passed
out those books and gone through some dumbass exercise every day and NEVER
worked outside my prep period, but I didn't. Because I like writing and I
know writing is scary, I tried to help make it a common, non-threatening,
amusing thing for them. If they hadn't had me as an English teacher they
would have had someone worse. So I'm not very ashamed of the way I taught.
I'm somewhat ashamed that I couldn't change things more.
Sandra
<< That idiot teacher could do no better than mark up my
paper for "incorrect sentence structure". Makes you
wonder if any of these teachers actually consider the
merits of REAL Literature, with all it's rule breaking
and original perspective. Or, do they actually Enjoy
the crap examples in grammar text books? >>
When I was teaching writing to kids I very rarely commented on the structure
or content, because in many cases that was their private business. I usually
ONLY went for mechanics of writing.
When I'm teaching beginning calligraphers, I don't want them to imagine what
a Carolingian "f" COULD have looked at, I want them to learn to copy actual
period examples.
When I'm helping people learn to play recorder (as I did with Kirby a couple
of nights ago), I really do want them to tongue every note. YES there are
exceptions galore after you learn to do it right, but it's one thing to
choose when not to tongue, and another not to have the skill to do it and so
just skip and claim "art."
With calligraphy, in fact there might be hundreds of different examples of
extant Carolingian hand, with a large range of forms of letters. But that's
not the same as "unlimited" or "no rules." Some of the most wonderful
calligraphy is someone "doing a riff" on some descender, or getting way artsy
with a line ending or a capital letter.
Literature is full of exceptions. Jazz is full of exceptions.
But when a person is cluefree about how to do something "right," his
"embellishments" aren't creativity so much as flailing around.
Some people's flailing around creates art. There are artists and musicians
who pretty much made it up on their own. Some have an audience of one,
though, and are only amusing themselves. Others discover something that has
broader appeal.
< Or, do they actually Enjoy
the crap examples in grammar text books?>>
I have always enjoyed the history of English, the technicalities of
punctuation, the changing fashions involving word use and style. I've never
expected everyone else to think it was cool, but I actually enjoyed the crap
examples in grammar textbooks, sometime.
That said, I never once used a grammar text book when I was teaching. We
kept the books in their boxes at the back of the room, and used dictionaries.
We played games with parts of speech sometimes, and goofed with them various
ways. We would lay out all the synonyms we could think of for something and
try to identify without looking them up which were of what origin, and which
were the oldest.
<<But I am certain that the passion I have for
the written word was long delayed due to those years
of forced writing.
<<Shame on them.>>
I'm not ashamed for using writing to help people write. Our usual in-class
writing system was that they were to write three one-page (or longer)
anythings. Little stories, reviews, opinions. It didn't matter. Three
pages. They picked the one they liked best, or thought was the best on top,
fastened the three together and over the weekend I read through at least all
the top pages, sometimes more. I wasn't criticizing their organization or
style. That was going to get better as they just wrote more. I was only
looking at mechanics. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure.
I could have collected my paycheck without doing that. I could have passed
out those books and gone through some dumbass exercise every day and NEVER
worked outside my prep period, but I didn't. Because I like writing and I
know writing is scary, I tried to help make it a common, non-threatening,
amusing thing for them. If they hadn't had me as an English teacher they
would have had someone worse. So I'm not very ashamed of the way I taught.
I'm somewhat ashamed that I couldn't change things more.
Sandra
Sharon Rudd
So I'm not very
you ARE changing things more
Thank you for all you have done
Sharon of the Swamp
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> ashamed of the way I taught.HUZZAH HUZZAH!
>
> I'm somewhat ashamed that I couldn't change things
> more.
>
> Sandra
you ARE changing things more
Thank you for all you have done
Sharon of the Swamp
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes
http://autos.yahoo.com
writing4health
-Sandra
I have to agree with you here. I love the mechanics of writing. I
think it is important to know the rules. Then you can break the rules
creatively and effectively.
My method for writing is to get the ideas down. They flow so quickly,
you have to capture them. Then I refine them using the mechanics of
language. When I was editing, I appreciated the effort that good
writers took to make their ideas presentable and exciting. I did not
always have the time to walk those that had great ideas through the
revision stage.
I think good writing is a balanced composition of exciting ideas and
exacting mechanics.
Kathy
I have to agree with you here. I love the mechanics of writing. I
think it is important to know the rules. Then you can break the rules
creatively and effectively.
My method for writing is to get the ideas down. They flow so quickly,
you have to capture them. Then I refine them using the mechanics of
language. When I was editing, I appreciated the effort that good
writers took to make their ideas presentable and exciting. I did not
always have the time to walk those that had great ideas through the
revision stage.
I think good writing is a balanced composition of exciting ideas and
exacting mechanics.
Kathy