The discussion started by Kathleen Ward has been fascinating. I was
surprised at first by the circle-up-the-wagons response, but then I
realized I should have expected it. Although the particular student may
have misinterpreted the teacher, the fact remains that most English
Professors, not to mention English majors, have little knowledge, and
much mis-knowledge of English grammar.
     But whose fault is that? What, after all, are we expecting them to
know? ATEG has a two-year-old "Scope, Sequence, and Standards" committee
that has done almost nothing. ATEG members cannot agree among themselves
about definitions of terms, or about what should be taught, or  when.
Should it then surprise us if the rest of the academic world, including
graduate departments in English Lit, ignore the whole question?
     Teaching Grammar as a Liberating Art includes detailed discussions
of a possible curriculum (Grades 3-12), supported by theory and
research. The Contents are:

                    Introduction

                    Part One: Background and Theory

                    Chapter 1:  A History of Pedagogical Grammars
                    Chapter 2: Traditional Grammar from a Modern
Perspective
                    Chapter 3: What Should We Teach? and A Theory of
Teaching
                    Chapter 4: A Theory of Natural Syntactic
Development
                    Chapter 5: The Sequence of Syntactic Development

                    Part Two: A Pedagogical Syntax

                    Chapter 6: A Theory of Syntax
                    Chapter 7: Syntax in the Curriculum -- Following
the Natural Development of
                    Syntactic Structures
                    Chapter 8: Syntactic Errors and Syntactic
Expectations

                    Part Three: Beyond the Teaching of Syntax

                    Chapter 9: Reading, Psycholinguistics, and
Readability
                    Chapter 10: Writing, Style, and Freedom
                    Chapter 11: Syntax, Thinking, and Logic

                    Part Four: Research

                    Chapter 12: Statistical Research in the Classroom

                    Appendix 1: My Materials for Teaching Syntax

                    Appendix 2: Some Comments on Spreadsheets

                    Bibliography
See:http://www2.pct.edu/courses/evavra/TGLA/

I'll admit that it hasn't been out on the web very long, but thus far,
only one person from this list has expressed interest in it. I am, of
course, suggesting that TGLA presents the basics of THE answer, but I
realize that others may disagree and propose alternative designs. That
is why, for years, I have offered the Curriculum Challenge as part of
the ATEG website. See:http://www2.pct.edu/courses/evavra/ATEG/GrCurr.htm


And http://www2.pct.edu/courses/evavra/KISS.htm


I am willing to help anyone who has a competing design to post it on
the web if they do not know how to do so.But where are the ideas?
Complaining is easy to do. But until more people start putting in more
time with constructive, systematic suggestions, don't expect much to
happen.

Ed V.

P.S. I am struggling to get a "Guest Book" set up on my site,
specifically for questions, suggestions, etc., related to the KISS
Approach. If I can trust our computer people, I should be able to have
it within the next couple of weeks. Once I get it, I'll post a message
here. I'm looking for help, suggestions, etc. on the KISS Approach. As I
suggested at the Seattle conference, the theoretical differences among
ATEG members will make it almost impossible for the group as a whole to
propose a coherent plan. The KISS approach is modified traditional
grammar,  based on eight parts of speech. (The last I heard, the SSS
Committee was considering twelve parts?) There is no reason why ATEG
cannot offer the world more than one model.

Ed V.