FYC teachers & students

An FYC teacher should come to class with an appreciation for writing. This seems basic, but I do not think it can be overstated. It is very important for the teacher to possess an enthusiasm for her subject. If you feel you have to fake this as a teacher, then perhaps you are teaching in the wrong field, or you might be in the wrong profession all together. On a daily basis, the FYC teacher should go to class with an idea of the day's lesson and the manner in which she plans to execute that lesson. She should be well-versed on the topic, even if it means she must review beforehand or do additional research. It is the teacher's responsibility to be a well-educated and prepared source for her students.

I am struggling with this next question about what an FYC student should come to class knowing. Before I began teaching this year, I thought my students would come to class with the knowledge of doing research, outlining papers, writing effective paragraphs, and project management. I thought I could help them with their style, their love for writing. I never expected to be teaching my class how to write a sentence, but this is exactly what I find myself doing, both in the online grading and in the classroom. Ideally, these students should already know this material. I know it is being taught in the high schools (and even elementary schools!), but perhaps not effectively.

As a result, I had to form a "plan B." I try to incorporate small grammar lessons into the larger, content lessons to improve the quality of the students' writing. However, why should I think that my instruction will "stick" when the instruction of their former teachers certainly has not? I do not think I should lower the bar and expect less from them. I still expect well-written papers, but I have had to rewind a little bit to achieve that point. This is somewhat frustrating to me as an instructor as my heart is in the prose style, not the placement of a comma.

teaching philosophy

A teaching philosophy determines the goals of the classroom for both the instructor and the students. The philosophy shapes the objectives of the course and the manner in which those objectives will be achieved. I think there is a different philosophy that works for each teacher.

Since this is my first year of teaching, I think I am developing my teaching philosophy on a daily basis. I am finding out what works, and usually more definitively what does not work. This first year is a rite of passage for me. This time will be very influential to the rest of my teaching career.

I know I definitely want to incorporate creativity into my philosophy. In fact, I would like to make this one of the primary aspects of the class. I try to do this in 1301, but it is difficult given the structure. Creativity is so important in any kind of writing. Perhaps most importantly, it inspires the students. It gives them an outlet of self-expression, a way to develop their voices free from some of the restraints of formal writing. It has been my (limited) experience that once students tap into this creativity, they are more willing to write papers that focus more heavily on analysis or research. I know this to be the case for me! If I am writing a research paper, I am happier if I know I have another project that allows me to be more creative. It is sort of like balancing fun and work.

I would also like to incorporate techniques that allow me to work with the students on an individual basis within the classroom. I believe the students often learn better because I can tailor my instruction to their specific needs. In addition, it seems to make them more comfortable with me as a teacher, and then, they are more likely to participate in class discussions.

Although this may not be feasible in a large class, I would prefer to run my undergraduate courses more like graduate seminars. I just feel the discussion of a collaborative learning environment can be much more rewarding than the traditional "teacher lectures, students listen" format.

This post is making me think I should look for a job at a montessori school or maybe a comune.

Struggling with Grading

I just read the article by Joseph Williams, so maybe error is weighing heavy on my mind. I am struggling in this area with the online grading. I never took a grammar class. Please do not tell anyone because so far, I am really enjoying my job. In my high school, if you were in the honors program, you took advanced literature classes instead of grammar. So while many of my classmates were learning "that/which" rules, I was reading Sister Carrie. At the time, I was loving it. I'll pick up a novel any day over a grammar handbook. Today, I'm loving it not so much because I'm feeling the effects (or is it affects?). See, I would know that if I had been in the grammar class. What I'm trying to get to here is I feel ill-prepared to correct grammatical errors in my students' papers. Sure, I know some things like when to use an apostrophe and usually when and where to use a comma, but I would never notice many of the errors Williams uses as examples in his article. Does this mean I am a terrible grader?

In addition, I struggle with the why factor. Many of the rules, thankfully, come naturally to me. I just sense that a comma goes here or there, but I don't know the rule. Is anyone else in this boat? Sometimes, then, I am not sure how to explain this to the student. I refuse to rely on the "Because I said so" phrase my parents loved so much. How important is it to be able to explain an error and correction with a rule in a grammar book?

I know I am helping the students improve their writing, but I always feel as if I fall short, that I could be helping them more.