Ed, I've never gotten in a discussion of my own work, since I
consider it unprofessional to talk about yourself. But I just looked
back over that 1994 article, and I think you misrepresented it. The
article was about a series of studies I asked several graduate
students to do in my grammar class, because I wasn't happy with how
well the students were learning grammar and what they thought about
the class. I used those reports (that I commissioned) to change a
number of things in class-my use of peer groups, the pace that the
material was presented, certain texts I was using, as well as the
division of the course into two sections-ten weeks on grammar and
five weeks on Hunt/Christensen/Loban studies.

So I don't think it's quite fair to say,

I found this interesting, especially since Professor Morenberg wrote
an article for Syntax in 1994
(Volume 11, No.2) in which he questioned the effectiveness of his own
teaching of his own course . . .  .

at least not without going on to say,

So he did something about it. He had outside observers sit in on his
class, talk to his students, and suggest changes in his syllabus and
procedures.

My own sense is that's what concerned teachers do when they perceive
there are issues they haven't handled well.

I was, in that article,  forthcoming with the problems as well as the
changes I made and how I found answers-often to questions I had not
asked. I did question the effectiveness of my class. But I did
something about it. Seven years ago.

I even did a presentation at 4Cs (in Nashville) on the subject, with
two of the graduate students and several undergraduate students from
the class, who talked about the changes in the course and how their
input was listened to.

Now I'm out of the discussion again. I don't care to argue this
issue.  I'm going back to proofreading the third edition of my text
and preparing Monday's lesson for my new, improved grammar course
(reshaped several times since 1994 because I'm always looking for
ways to improve how I teach grammar).

Back into silence,
Max

--
Max Morenberg, Professor
Department of English
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-2520

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