TESL 0110: Unit 1 - Grammar's in the Kitchen Makin' Cookies?
When I was a child, my dad would joke about grammar saying... "I know Grammar! Grammar's in the kitchen makin' cookies!". I am not sure why I have remembered this but when I think about grammar, this always comes to my mind.
When one of our children was in sixth grade, the first report card of the school year indicated that they were not at grade level in grammar and spelling. Our small country school was partly populated with families who may not have the education background to support homework assignments if their child needed help, so school teachers were hesitant to send additional work home with the students. At one point I was advised that seventy-five percent of parents could not, or would not, help their children with homework. I remember having a serious conversation with the teacher to say that we could (and would) help our child with grammar and spelling skills, and we needed her to send a reasonable amount of homework along each week. We did not expect that there would be hours of work each day, but I thought that if there was half an hour to an hour of homework per week, development would be adequately supported for an 11 year old student. The teacher did as we asked, and by the end of the school year the report card indicated that grammar and spelling were at grade level.
I spend a good deal of my time communicating with staff from entry level roles, to senior management, and the board of directors. I work at ensuring that I use plain language for those who may have difficulty with English and I work at elevating how I share my thoughts when I am in a place where it is becomes more relevant and useful for the audience I am addressing. In all this, the structure of how I communicate is very important. What I say has an impact not only in terms of content but in terms of delivery for comprehension. I review articles and emails that are written for others around clarity and, at times, that includes suggestions for structural improvements.
Thus far all these thoughts may not seem like they connect, but the common theme is personal experiences with grammar. In all honesty, this course has been on my "most dreaded" list! Thus, one goal of my personal learning plan is to find the positive outcomes in each week. The positive outcomes from this week include: 1. I actually know some grammar; 2. There are many supports available; 3. I am determined to use what I know and learn what I need; and 4. I am committed to find the right resources to be effective. It is true that I do not need to know everything, but it is useful to know where to find the right information so part of my personal journey for this course is to ensure that I have the right resources in place. If you are reading this blog you will find that this week I have already added to my activities and resources in this blog. Some resources I have downloaded into my personal computer files for review as needed, and I have the Canadian Language Benchmarks open all the time on my computer for reference. I am also working on creating my own resources using available supports because I know that it aids my own retention.
Part of the learning journey is humbling yourself enough to know when you need help. This is a good place to start. Let the journey begin!
When one of our children was in sixth grade, the first report card of the school year indicated that they were not at grade level in grammar and spelling. Our small country school was partly populated with families who may not have the education background to support homework assignments if their child needed help, so school teachers were hesitant to send additional work home with the students. At one point I was advised that seventy-five percent of parents could not, or would not, help their children with homework. I remember having a serious conversation with the teacher to say that we could (and would) help our child with grammar and spelling skills, and we needed her to send a reasonable amount of homework along each week. We did not expect that there would be hours of work each day, but I thought that if there was half an hour to an hour of homework per week, development would be adequately supported for an 11 year old student. The teacher did as we asked, and by the end of the school year the report card indicated that grammar and spelling were at grade level.
I spend a good deal of my time communicating with staff from entry level roles, to senior management, and the board of directors. I work at ensuring that I use plain language for those who may have difficulty with English and I work at elevating how I share my thoughts when I am in a place where it is becomes more relevant and useful for the audience I am addressing. In all this, the structure of how I communicate is very important. What I say has an impact not only in terms of content but in terms of delivery for comprehension. I review articles and emails that are written for others around clarity and, at times, that includes suggestions for structural improvements.
Thus far all these thoughts may not seem like they connect, but the common theme is personal experiences with grammar. In all honesty, this course has been on my "most dreaded" list! Thus, one goal of my personal learning plan is to find the positive outcomes in each week. The positive outcomes from this week include: 1. I actually know some grammar; 2. There are many supports available; 3. I am determined to use what I know and learn what I need; and 4. I am committed to find the right resources to be effective. It is true that I do not need to know everything, but it is useful to know where to find the right information so part of my personal journey for this course is to ensure that I have the right resources in place. If you are reading this blog you will find that this week I have already added to my activities and resources in this blog. Some resources I have downloaded into my personal computer files for review as needed, and I have the Canadian Language Benchmarks open all the time on my computer for reference. I am also working on creating my own resources using available supports because I know that it aids my own retention.
Part of the learning journey is humbling yourself enough to know when you need help. This is a good place to start. Let the journey begin!
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