I'm scared of this. I make mistakes with grammar all the time. I'll even pretend like I make mistakes on purpose, you know, just so I can turn the system on its head and... you know, free everyone from those chains and all that. But the truth is, I'm not an expert when it comes to grammar. I want to teach English because of the power of words in a good story or poem, not because I believe my students will be empowered by semi-colon usage. Isn't there some way I can opt out of this part of teaching? Maybe at some point we will all be able to fill out a checklist noting the topics and material we'd like to teach; I'd be heavy on the humanities and hope that someone else picked up the grammar.
Okay—it’s not that bad. In fact, I believe I am beginning to overcome the frequent panic attacks and chronic hot flashes associated with grammar instruction. A significant turning point was a few weeks ago, when I was able to observe in a senior IB World Literature class taught by Mr. Grant (not to be confused with Mr. Loan or Mrs. Bailout). At the beginning of the 3rd quarter, he realized his new classes needed significant help with grammar before he could begin his unit. So, here I was in a senior literature class, and they are taking a spelling test! Is that normal? Seriously… part of me drifted back to 5th grade and remembered all those spelling tests on terrible composition paper. But get this—the class was much better than any of the multicultural film studies classes I have observed. The students were fully engaged in the material, cracking witty little jokes about the content, and even asking questions about the ambiguity of certain rules. After the spelling test, they spent the entire class period plowing through sentence after sentence, finding errors as a group and agreeing upon the necessary corrections. It was amazing to be a part of, to say the least.
When I look back on that class and really examine what component made it all possible, I believe it all flowed from Mr. Grant’s energy. He moved quickly throughout the room calling spontaneously on different students and hoping to catch someone off guard (even I was fair game, but he didn’t get me). He progressed quickly down through the sentences, and the students seemed to know that if they began to daydream, he’d seek them out. However, even if students made mistakes, and many did, Mr. Grant was quick to vindicate them.
After class, when I asked him how he keeps his enthusiasm up while teaching grammar, he responded, “Well, I have to keep it interesting for me, too.” Perhaps, then, the cure to the grammar panic may resemble the following:
1 cup of preparation
3 tbs. of enthusiasm
Two or three identifiable purposes, peeled and transparent
2 tbs. of humor
1 cup of care
Instructions: combine preparation, enthusiasm, and purposes into large classroom, stir with care. When the ingredients clump together, making it impossible to stir, sprinkle in the two tablespoons of humor to loosen it up. Repeat…
Link:
Grammar Slammer!
This site reminds me of when my family first started using the Internet. We had something called Prodigy, anyone remember that? Anyways, this website is probably not on its way to receiving a Golden Web Award (they exist, but don't waste your time looking it up), but it is practical.
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