Okay...I'm back.
I'm really upset that I can't access blogger from my computer. Not sure why, it just isn't cool.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that I think it is important to teach students how to write. It may be pointless to those who believe that writing is "out of style" or whatever, but I disagree. I think writing will always be in style in one form or another. It is part of who we are. Technology can try all it wants, and I'm sure it will get pretty far, but still....writing a poem, a story, an essay, a book, a passage, whatever, is important. Not all students will use their writing abilities to their full potential, but not all students use math or science to their full potential either. We all learn a variety of things in school that may or may not help us in the career we choose, but they do expand our minds, and give us more knowledge for those moments that happen once in a while when we NEED math or we NEED to figure something out, etc. Integrating technology and "new media" into our curriculum for English is fine, I understand that it is important to be literate in that field as well, but not to the extend of taking any other form of writing away. David may be great at web design, but I don't want to teach web design. I want to teach literature, writing, etc. Some is okay...but not too much..I guess that is my point.
Okay, so I'm gonna go watch the Grammys now...the Police are performing!
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2 comments:
agree with you, Kasandra, when you say that we tshould "teach students to write." I think there is a craft there to be learned. I think that you can teach someone how to write more concisely and how to organize his/her thoughts, etc. I believe this because I have seen transformations in my own classes. And as cheesy as it sounds, there really is joy to be found when you have a weak student who improves throughout the semester. It's a nice feeling of accomplishment and of "Hey ... I had a hand in this person's learning experience."
I realize that some topics are extremely bland and cliched (Today's theme: What I Did over Summer Vacation). I also realize that using an extremely prescriptive approach (such as focusing on grammar and mechanics)can hinder instruction.
But I do agree that New Media should be incorporated into the writing classroom, if for no other reason than students need to be exposed to it. There isn't one simple method that is best when it comes to teaching composition, but I do agree that we still need it.
To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kinda scary. I've wondered where this started, and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus and a clown killed my dad.
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