Craig, I think Susan was toying with you . . . Peter On May 17, 2009, at 4:00 PM, Craig Hancock wrote: > Susan, > In your own post, "teacher" and "student" get repeated very > effectively. The subject of your third sentence is "that", which > refers > back to the content of thwe previous sentences. You use "But" to start > your second paragraph. Every sentence in your final paragraph starts > with "I", and I don't mean that as a criticism. Much of our advice > about writing doesn't match what good writers do. > > Craig > >> > > On May 16, 2009, at 9:20 PM, Craig Hancock wrote: >>> You don't help students by giving them >>> a false description of language because you believe they aren't >>> capable >>> of the truth. >> >> >> Maybe we don't actually disagree. If a teacher actually told her >> students that good writers never start sentences with the word >> "because" or an essay that doesn't have a thesis at the end of the >> first paragraph is wrong and an example of bad writing, then I am >> with you. That is false information. >> >> But a teacher who tells her students that they can only write in >> pencil, or that they must show their work, or that their essay must >> have 5 paragraphs is not giving them false information. Should a >> teacher clarify that the rule about "because" is only for this class >> and that when they are older they may break this rule? Yes. I think >> that probably does happen. I think it is too much for some students >> to process, and what they retain is just the rule itself. >> >>> "Vary sentence starts" would be another example of bad advice. >> >> I am surprise that you believe this. I notice you vary your sentence >> starts. I do too. I would only break that rule to prove a point. I >> hope I have proved it. I am not sure if I have. I hope you will let >> me know. >> >> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web >> interface >> at: >> http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html >> and select "Join or leave the list" >> >> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ >> > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > interface at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/