Since January is the time when I prepare for the spring semester courses that I teach, I start to think about the classes I teach and what I would like to get from students in terms of the essays I receive.
I’m sure all of you at some time or another have had an English teacher who is absolutely in love with English and literature and what he or she teaches. Those teachers should be. That’s what makes an inspiring and effective teacher. What is hard for the average student to take is when those teachers expect students to have the same love as they do.
I take a very different approach when I teach English Composition to incoming freshmen. I know that in my class, I’ll find two maybe three students who love to write. I’m grateful for those students because it’s likely that they’ll turn in essays that I’ll really enjoy reading.
The majority of the students in class are students who are required to take it for the general education credits, and they will be grateful when it’s all over. I don’t mind those students, and I tell them that I don’t expect novels and super creative works. All that I want from them is sincere effort in trying to communicate clearly and at a college writing level. I just want them to put in the effort that students should for any college course.
Why does English Composition matter so much? Sometimes it’s hard to make a student understand that these highly constructed academic essays will help them with college and with life. In a typical student’s life, there’s email and texting. Neither form of communication is anything like college English. They don’t see the connection, and that’s what I try to show them throughout the semester.
Here are a few of the connections I hope I get my students to learn:
What’s the point of a comparison and contrast essay? Besides learning a new form of writing, students are also learning critical comparison thinking that can help them when buying their first car, choosing an apartment, or purchasing a large appliance. With that type of essay, students have to learn to pick out the useful information and make decisions as to what is important. We are making comparisons all the time and basing many decisions on those comparisons.
What’s the point of an argument essay that requires research? This one is a biggie because students groan when they know they have this huge essay at the end of the semester. Besides helping them learn the steps in working on a longer piece of writing, I try to show how in the real world, we often have to persuade people. If you are in sales, you have to persuade people to buy. Why is my product better? What special features does it offer? Maybe you have to persuade your boss to invest in a new piece of office equipment. Why do we need to place a perfectly good copier? Why should we spend the money now? We often have to persuade people both personally and professionally. Most young students have already practiced persuasion when trying to get something out of their parents, but most of them have not learned to persuade beyond pleading and comparing themselves to their peers. Again, I try to show them critical thinking skills. They need to look at a problem and research it and find what’s important to that topic. They need to learn how to blend logical argument with emotional appeal and while appearing knowledgeable about their topic. What are the details that will sway a reader? What are the key components that make you believe what you do?
I could offer a lot more examples, but you get the point from just these two.
We are a species that relies on communication. We rely on verbal communication, and we rely heavily on written communication. Our world goes beyond email and texting, and there are very few jobs out there that don’t require written communication skills. If a student can write successfully in college English adjusting their style to whatever scenario they are given, then they can communicate effectively anywhere they go. Writing clearly matters.
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