Getting Dirty with Grammar

I really appreciate the conversations about grammar that our texts create.  It is helpful to read Noden's ideas and theories about teaching grammar, and then to read how Anderson implements some of them in his classroom; it makes the inevitability of teaching grammar more concrete and less intimidating.

Anderson consistently teaches grammar visually.  For example, he uses the Sentence Smack Down and Visual Scaffolding Charts to help his students understand the concepts.  These activities keep the students "doing" grammar; they are actively involved with grammar!  I love his advocacy for wallpapering the walls with posters.  First, this constructively hides the dull cinderblocks.  But it also surrounds the students with grammar.  Students can't escape grammar!

Again: a representation of Anderson's philosophy of a rich and living learning environment.

I also find that Anderson's lessons embody Weaver's view of grammar as a box of tools (versus a list of rules).  ***See the "Write a Sentence" discussion on page 65 of Anderson's text***  As students untangle the rules of grammar, they assume control over grammar and, thus, their writing.  This is not to say that students are able to use certain standards of grammar and discard others but that students are empowered to use grammar to enhance their writing instead of having adding grammar that limits their writing.

Noden's detailed lesson models further illustrate this idea.  Students are taught what a prepositional phrase is, for example, not so they can know what it is but so they can use.

I like to think of it as students getting their hands dirty with grammar.

Reclaiming Grammar for the Voiceless

During last semester's Teaching Adolescent Lit final, Shannon asked our class to identify one thing that we had learned throughout the course of the class.  It didn't take me long to realize that I want to be an influence to my students' discovery and development of their voices.  It is interesting to now think about empowering my students in the context of grammar.

Weaver's discussion about second language acquisition particularly ties into my hope.  Language is power: How something is said is just as important - if not more important - than what is said.  We gravitate to errors; they glare at us, obscuring whatever meaning is within them.  But when we bleed corrections over a student's page, the student is cut too.  If you are always told that you are doing wrong, you begin to feel wrong.

Has a teacher ever made you feel like a failure?  Just last week, a professor responded to me in a way that made me feel like the most disappointing, wretched failure that ever dared to breathe a word in her class.

This is true for all students, but especially students who are working with English for the first time.  They are acutely aware that they are behind.  They do not feel confident with this new language.  Thus, Weaver advocates a constructivist approach to grammar that will empower - not discourage - the student in his language acquisition.

Code-switching: A really effective visual.  A balance of respect for the student's language and understanding of the role of a unified standard of the rules of English.  Maintains the student's voice in his initial language while allowing them an "in" to the English language.

No failure here: Treating errors as learning opportunities versus failures.  It hurts to be labeled as a failure.  We need to keep our students as far away from this fruitless construction as possible.

The Perfection Trap: As a self-professed perfectionist and optimist (especially when it comes to writing), it is difficult to accept that students will not fully grasp every single grammar concept.  Every error will not disappear.  But didn't we already establish that we are not going to focus on errors?  [Working on that...]

Encourage risks: A comfortable classroom environment is a nonnegotiable.  Students must be able to trust and experiment.  This is the only way to ensure organic and real growth in student writing.  Also inspires confidence and excitement in writing.  "[C]hildren - everyone, really - will work much harder on a piece of writing when they are truly engaged with it and truly eager to share it with a wider audience" (183).

Saving expository writing: Yes!  Persuasive writing can be exciting!  Every single thing that a student writes is an expression of that student.  Expository writing - and every writing - must be transformed into an opportunity for our students.  Not to write another "5 paragraph essay" but to let their voice be heard.

***A final, barely-developed thought: Breaking the rules can say more than following them.***

With a Name Like Anderson, It's Gotta Be Good

Anderson is my hero.

Yes... Anderson Cooper is one of my heroes, too.

But in this instance, I am referring to writing guru Jeff Anderson.

Although I made a pretty hefty list of the wonderful things that I read in his text and that of Harry R. Noden, I have condensed them into the following 5 Big Ideas.


1) Write, Write, Write - Maybe it's just me, but I've been seeing a lot of this in the reading over the past couple of weeks.  Anderson and Noden are both exceedingly helpful in demonstrating how to teach grammar within the context of authentic writing.  For the first time - and all credit goes to Anderson's mentor texts and Noden's painting metaphor - I am able to see myself successfully teaching grammar in my future classroom.  I also was able to generate some really cool ideas for class writing journals and games.

2) Keep the Balance - Reflecting back on the past year, I suppose the best visual for my relationship with grammar would be a roller coaster.  At first, I could be found brandishing a red pen in the camp of the traditionalists.  I was soon liberated and thus rejected all of my previous philosophies, screaming a manifesto of "Write, write, write!  Read, read, read!"  While I had faith that writing, reading, and grammar could be taught in conjunction, without an example I had no idea how to do this.  Noden in particular illustrated this "how" for me.  Shoot - just after reading those first few pages, I felt like a better writer!

3) "What Sticks with You?" - Anderson strongly advocates engaging students in outside texts - including literature, newspapers, the students' own writings, and other such endless possibilities - in order to strengthen both their writing and their understanding of grammar.  The most revolutionary concept is a focus on a "right" way to do grammar as opposed to the demonstrations of the "wrong" way.  Instead of giving students poor examples of grammar to correct, Anderson floods his students with strong examples of good writing.  Research and experience further demonstrate that students are better able to imitate and implement the shared techniques.  I really, really, really, really, really like this idea because it is positive.

4) Teach What They Need - I have always imagined teaching grammar by checking the standards and the curriculum, and then spewing those requirements to my students.  Of course, I would try to mix some fun into those lessons, but it still always seemed a rather dismal task.  Once again, Anderson offers the common sense solution: "Base your teaching on errors they make.  Base your teaching on the strategies they need" (7).  I am reminded once again to structure every lesson around the needs of my students.  Yes.  Even grammar lessons.

5) Writing is Sacred - This is not exactly something that I needed to be told, but I love this quotation from Zemelman and Daniels: "In fact, many primary teachers will tell you that the surface of a kid's piece of writing should be inviolate, that it's an expression of a self, a work of art or artifact that should never be defaced by anyone else's markings or revision.  This is a view that we teachers of older kids need to give respectful consideration."

May I always allow pause to thus celebrate my students' writing.