Teaching in college is a new adventure leveling up from a public education or the freedom of homeschooling to an advanced level, and should cover new fields of thought building on previously learned information. However, today much of the traditional methods have been lost in the rush for the new ideas and studies.
In the course of innovation in the public system, including NEA control, GACE testing, NCLB laws, there is a disconnect with the basic information necessary to process the higher fields of learning, which needs to be addressed by professors dealing with first year students. To give the very best skills back to our students, and take pressure of teaching basics off of higher level professors, teachers of the first years need to return to the basics. That means restructuring first year courses to make up the deficit in skills no longer taught in the public system of education.
Grammar, basics of composition, organization, and thought development including blending quotes, and thought progression are critical aspects lost in translation, and necessary skills for higher level education.
How do I know what I need to research to teach first year college composition?
The basics of grammar usage are the starting point, but in composition courses they cannot be the main focus. The goal is to develop the language students are currently using into a professional composition they can utilize in so many areas. This involves the process of organizing thoughts first and foremost, as well as proper use of grammar rather than allowing slang or “talking” writing.
Just having a “thought” is not effective.
- A Grammar pretest is a start point to identify grammar weaknesses which need to be addressed.
- ESL students will always struggle, and have unique needs when it comes to composing in a second language. An AI translator program is a helpful aide for this and many students already utilize a number of them.
- For native English speakers simple reviews of verb tense agreement, punctuation, pronoun agreement, and subject verb agreement help correct many issues. Most critical is the understanding of the basic clauses which form sentences. At the beginning of each course I start with a basic clause lesson teaching Independent Clauses and Dependent Clauses and how they combine in to simple, complex, compound, and complex-compound sentences. After that I have them review and consider Faulkner’s longest sentence as an interesting study on how this simple break down in sentence structure can endlessly combine grammatically correct sentences. This will not stop all the errors, however, it does give them a reference point to start correcting their own thought development.
- Once this is accomplished, I move into thesis statements and how to develop a thought to build an essay on. Most students mistakenly believe they know how to create a thesis effectively, but cannot develop a thesis on which to focus their essays. Often they become overwhelmed or lost in their efforts to develop their thoughts as they write due to how very broad their original thesis begins.
- The next step is learning to use that thesis to develop a logical outline. This is based strictly on their refined thesis. This process helps them learn to limit focus to what they are trying to say narrowing down what they truly wish to communicate in a professional and organized manner. Giving them a standard format, and requiring they follow it is hard, but essential, both for the professor and the students.
For the most part, I use few resources and make my students write every class, even if it is only a paragraph journal at the start of class. This can also be an effective method for tracking class attendance especially in colleges who do not take attendance. I alway give extra credit for journals, and this is only done in class time. Another important thought is: Pay attention to whether or not your students have checked out mentally as you teach!
Where do I find sources that will help me teach to the basics again and where can I find more information?
Sources I often turn to are books and websites I have found offer real, effective, simple resources, and then developing my own as necessary.
The following book has been a great resource when teaching grammar:
- How to Write for Class: A Student’s Guide to Grammar, Punctuation, and Style by Erica Meltzer
Since the basics of grammar are no longer taught past the 5th-8th grades, many resources to supplement may seem elementary because they are. Various websites where teachers share their own lessons have been solid resources as I teach. For the most part I use my own lesson planning to develop course material and rarely use the required course books of the university or college for composition courses.
- Websites I use are Purdue Owl and the following:
https://www.k5learning.com/free-grammar-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/punctuation/practice
https://chompchomp.com/presentations.htm
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com
Then when teaching citing professionally, understanding how the in text citations and Works Cited page is structured becomes a focus of what I teach. Due to the constantly changing format, I often generalize, referring to Purdue OWL or calling on librarians to assist. The students always struggle.
- I use Purdue OWL frequently as well as the MLA Style website:
https://style.mla.org/works-cited/works-cited-a-quick-guide
For the clauses I have my own lesson plan and notes I use every class and hand out.
How am I to know if a source is credible and appropriate for my class?
- In planning a course much of what happens steps outside of the plan. Be prepared to be flexible.
- Research alternatives and try them. Do not be afraid of using simple plans to achieve the goals as often this is the most effective method to communicate the concepts. Use formats and formulas to help students organize thoughts. Individual thought comes after and develops on strong roots.
- In addition, AI (Artificial intelligence) is all over. It can be helpful, and harmful. If you want them to check their work with a program it will be flagged. Be prepared to be a researcher, stay up on what AI is doing, and give your students assignments where they cannot use AI so you know their voice and can identify the difference.
How do I teach my students to know if a source is credible and appropriate for their project?
- In their research, be proactive.
- Guide them in understanding how to research.
- Guide them in learning the library, I try to get the librarian to come and talk to the class. I do this each term and give the librarian a full class to talk and answer questions.
- Teach your students how to use the writing center or tutors.
- Talk about bias and opinion articles, so they know how to find solid research to support their positions.
- Guide them in understanding general credibility and appropriateness for each specific composition.
How do I incorporate sources into my writing?
When using sources outside of my own creation, I always try to keep the embedded information, or use an endnote to acknowledge the source of my tool. In this, MLA is not always useful because a Works Cited page becomes extra work and an unnecessary attachment. I will use the embedded or add an endnote on the page to note the location and/or creator of the resource.
What has impacted my current teaching most?
John Gatto and John Holt are always in the back of my mind and influenced strongly how I chose to train my own children. I carry their thoughts forward as I plan my own course work. In addition, like most, I have specific teachers who I connected with through the years and try to emulate their styles in my own teaching.
Having a passion for your content is critical, as well as understanding the connections between fields and how interrelated all areas truly are in life. Gifting this to your students helps them see the value of each field in progressing their own goals.
I personally have degrees in English, and art (and I am one course away from a history degree as well), have higher level studies in psychology and education, and I love working with math. I currently am working on my PhD in English and intend to pursue a master of history and art history next. Never stop learning.
Areas which have driven my choices away from standardized education are the following:
- The NCLB (No Child Left Behind) which as evolved into ESSA (Every Student Succeeds) has so many articles written its impact and clear failure for our students on so many levels, as well as for our teachers. I never try to make all students learn at the same level because no two students are the same. IEPs are received and filed with limited review because my focus is to help them on their level automatically. I have already taught dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, tourettes, mild autism, ESL and other learning disabled without having to do more than minor adjustments. You cannot make students learn if they do not seek it themselves. Entitlement does not make a good learner.
- The NEA’s strangle hold on education is another problem today and their hold should be broken (I had a professor threaten to not allow me to graduate unless I had joined the NEA prior to completion of her courses at GSU in 1993-she was the Dean of the Education college at the time). Unions standardize rather than individualize and believe in micro-managing teachers rather than respecting their extended education and experience in the field as well as their ability to connect.
- The GACE as well has failed to test critical content effectively (I had a GACE rep come to our University in 2012 -MEd- to teach our class who specifically said she was there to teach us how to pass the content test without knowing content). Knowing content, I believe, is critical to developing a passion in our students for the material.
Each of these groups and laws, in addition to my own personal experience, having taught in multiple communities from homeschooling, public school (off and on since 1992), community college, prison courses, to private university over the past 35 years, has impacted my views and plans as I teach.
I know I am limited to the skills my students have learned, and their personal interest in learning.
I have found most older students returning to college for higher degrees are more serious and more desirous of remedial help.
I have also found that most younger, recent graduates of high school are less interested in improving, feel they have all the answers, and dismiss the idea they need to actively learn. Those students will fight me on learning the skills they need questioning my right to give them less than a 100 on every assignment.
Overall, I adore teaching, and when “that” student comes to me, or I over hear them talking saying, “I finally understand how to organize my thoughts, and it was all due to my thesis! It was so easy once I got that!” my heart just swells. That simple joy is what keeps us teaching.
