Overcoming Red-Pen Syndrome

Though the first three chapters of Constance Weaver's Grammar to Enrich & Enhance Writing were informative and inspiring, I can't help but find myself feeling torn. While I agree with Weaver's "positive, productive, and practical" theory, I can't help but wonder how students can fully realize where improvement is needed without correcting their errors.

It seems possible that I am simply apprehensive to leave the realm of what I know. Weaver suggests that much research is left to be done about a new and effective way of teaching grammar in a way that is applicable to writing. This idea is daunting as I am increasingly aware of my future as a teacher who will have to make decisions about how to teach my students. Despite lack of research, I do not doubt Weaver's accuracy in the concept that grammar should not be taught as an independent subject.

While I am very enthusiastic about my future as a teacher, many of my aspirations in life have centered on writing. I attribute these to my eighth grade English teacher, as his class functioned nearly entirely as a writing workshop. This method built my confidence and probably taught me more about how to write than any other to which I have been subjected. I would like to bring this type of openness to my own teaching while implementing many of Weaver's theories on how to guide young writers without negatively influencing their natural skills. This class also consisted of a large amount of peer review. I would be very interested to learn about Weaver's opinions of this method.

Despite my progression in that eighth grade class, I did not learn technical grammatical terms to match my newly developed writing skills. This lack may have been detrimental to classes that I would later have in which teachers would expect me to know them. Weaver discusses that these types of terms and rules are mostly unnecessary, and I agree. However, it seems that teachers may have to come to a clearer consensus regarding English education and grammar in order to fully benefit students.

I was very interested in reading that children must be allowed to develop their use of language chronologically. This idea is highly logical, and yet it seems that students are pushed through grammar textbooks at rates that don't allow them to fully grasp and build on anything. It seems to me that the absence slow progression could be the reason for which many more mature students continue to lack decent writing skills. I think that Weaver presents a solution in her discussion of authentic reading. Just as toddler's are quickly able to learn crucial aspects of the English language naturally and without formal instruction, individuals at any age can benefit from simply reading for pleasure. Those who take time to read are unknowingly increasing their grammar and vocabulary usage skills. Obviously, avid readers usually make the best writers. Unfortunately, modern technology seems to have made reading a much less desirable pastime.

The presence of students who don't read or really care to improve their writing is something that I often worry about when imagining myself in a position at the head of the classroom. I do not want to crush creativity, however, I do want to provide students with the tools that are necessary for becoming better writers. I will be interested to read more about Weaver's perspective and learn more about her suggestions for guiding writers rather than correcting them.

     As I read "A Brief History of English," a piece by Paul Roberts, I was very interested in how the English language has steadily changed and been built through time. I found the closing statements of the article to be particularly powerful in that they are so true. Though so many people speak the English language, one does not have to go very far to find someone who is also an English-speaker that they don't fully understand. This idea connected well with another article that we read, "It's like EXTREME, But Not GROSS," by Scott Lehigh. Lehigh discusses the "generational divide" of language between teens and their parents. Though the article discusses teens in 1997, memorable trends in language such as the extensive and many uses of the word "like" can still be heard in spoken language today.
     Lehigh's article also discusses the decline of SAT scores in leading universities such as MIT. Though the statistics Lehigh's article offers are somewhat troublesome, the most interesting aspect of the article is his perspective on the direction of language and the validity of grammar. Lehigh seems to maintain that the declining SAT scores are well worth noting and that it is important for young people to develop a strong vocabulary. However, rather than supporting only this idea, Lehigh encourages older generations to learn new phrases and grow with the language. I thought that Lehigh's ideas were refreshing in that he is not overly skeptical of changing trends in language, while he also writes that there is some importance in more traditional versions of English.
     For me, the most interesting article in this assignment was "Good English and Bad" by Bill Bryson. Bryson introduces ideas and facts that are completely new to me. Bryson describes many grammar rules as ideas that were brought about by individual preference that have been enforced as law over time. Many of my reactions to Bryson's suggestions about language, such as the idea that "you were" is no more correct than "you was," (I cringed, by the way) further strengthen his argument that good English is only made through prejudice and conditioning.
     Lastly, I really liked Bryson's comments about the freedom given to those who communicate with the English language. Bryson reminded me that I never realized how many possibilities the English language offers to its users until I studied French for three semesters. Granted, I thoroughly enjoyed learning French, but as I progressed, I found it interesting that there are very few synonyms for French words. Dissimilarly, the English language offers endless synonyms and ways of describing something. This realization really made me think about how much I enjoy having so many creative possibilities with the English language!