When I started teaching I consoled myself at the end of each depressing day by telling myself that at least I wasn’t doing any harm. It is probably just as well that I did not know at the time that in addition to hindering my students’ ability to improve I might also cause them to regress as writers.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I think we have all been in this position. It seems to me that Nelson is saying that all we need to do is give them time to work on attitude then behavior and good wriing will follow. Let's face it; we who teach composition only have one semester to accomplish what will take a long time to develop. Unless the student comes in ready to learn, and many of them don't, they just won't get out of it what they potentially could. Until students become active participants in learning, they just won't progress as they should. I don't think that teachers can or should shoulder all this responsibility.
The physician's moto is do no harm; however, even the medicine given to solve one symptom creates problems else where. Many people die from the supposed cure.
Post a Comment