> - and as such I only WISH that I had had someone, somewhere, teach me
> grammar before I was facing classes of students to whom I had to teach the
> same.

Don't worry too much.  The best way to learn something is to teach it
(who said that first?).


> I am learning everything over as I teach it to my students. I have already
> found myself in a pickle where the student asks a legitimate question that
> I don't know how to answer. How's that for undermining one's own authority
> on a subject?

I have studied grammar for decades: in English, German, Dutch, Latin,
ancient Greek, French, and now Italian.  I am still floored by
questions.  Students love it when you owe up that you're not sure and
that you are going to look it up and get back to them.  My Asian and
East European students know "rules" that I've never heard of and I
admit this and we examine the particulars.  This discovery approach
can be a lot of fun.  No-one knows all the "rules".  Bring in your
favourite grammar books and look up stuff together and see how the
experts disagree!

Have a good time with grammar!  Mieke