Through my primary and secondary education I was given the tools I would need to move on/advance throughout the system. Each year teachers would inform my classmates and I about what we will need to be ready for the next grade. In primary school I remember that most of my said English/Language Arts courses were focused on learning how to physically write in legible print and cursive. These courses also placed a lot of emphasis on developing vocabulary through spelling tests and a lot of outside reading. In conjunction with these staples of English education students were constantly asked to demonstrate critical thinking skills. These were displayed by means of journaling and summary writing. I can't really remember specific standards and what not, but I do remember just being expected to put forth a genuine effort. Obviously with things such as spelling tests those are black and white but with writing in primary school they were measuring improvement by variation of language in our writing which they could then see evidence that as students we were filling our end of the the bargin by reading outside of the classroom.
During my time in grades 7-12 was when more stringent structure was impliment. The five paragraph essay was introduced. In these grades I remember the decline in spelling tests, although they never fully diminished, and the increase of free writing and introduction of and the importance and value of revision. Reading was never lost and only implimented more heavily. Teachers began and continued to remind students that language variation was a pivitol piece of writing and expressing your thoughts. One thing that I am unable to remember is the length of papers assigned. I just remember that my teachers were caught up on making sure that we had five quality paragrphs that held a good flow. In secondary school I remember that the converstation and discussion of literature recieved more attention. Teachers were not only interested in how we were able to compose a written document but also how we could think on our feet linking together important aspects of literature and ideas in an oral setting.
Reflecting upon my up bringing in the education system I regret not having more motivation to learn not seeing the importance of truley applining myself. I don't remember teachers stressing the importance of education on what I would consider myself middle of the row students. If you were at the low or high levels you were given more attention. You were either pushed to catch up to the rest, at the lower end, or pushed to develope your natural talents, regarding the higher end.
Now as a college student I have come to realize the importance of reading and writing. Reading and writing are not only developed skills that an English major needs but ones that will enable all majors to go further in thier studies. My communication skills have been dramatically increased since I have been in college not only to the credit of my teachers but also becuase there is a constant level of competion once you enter college that is continually ampliphied through out the rest of our lives.
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2 comments:
Chris, I found it interesting that your writing instruction focused mainly on issues of structure and appearance in the early grades. You do point out that it leveled off a little in h.s., but even then it sounds like there was a lot of emphasis on paragraphing in essays and so forth.
How has that prepared you or not for the kind of writing that's been expected in college?
It's interesting how you noted the steps taken throughout school that built upon eachother to help your writing. I also noticed the idea of "tracking" in your investigation, where you talked about the teachers focusing on the lower level students to catch them up and the higher level students being encouraged to "develop their talents." It might be an interesting topic for your synthesis to write about tracking, but from the view of the "middle" students, as you called it, and how they seem to get lost in between and lose the focus, attention, and motivation from the teachers.
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