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.