The summer is slipping away and classes start soon.  I have about a week to get organized for the classes I’m teaching.  English Composition is mind-numbing to take and tedious to teach, but it’s important.  I know that, of course, but as I prepare for class I find myself sighing.  It’s so hard to motivate students who are not writers (and don’t want to be writers) to understand the importance of writing well.  I try to make it interesting with fun assignments (writing a movie review, for instance), but it’s an illusion.  English Comp isn’t fun.

This semester, they’ve added a supplemental text to the course.  A grammar handbook.  Do you hear me groaning?  I hated grammar in high school.  I all but cheered when my 11th grade AP English teacher said, “You should know grammar by now.  We won’t be focusing on it much this year.” Yet, here I am, teaching college level English Composition and having to use a grammar textbook.  Ugh.  There is something ironic about having to teach a subject I despise. 

Posted by Kristina in School at 09:47 PM Permalink