A fable explaining why students are taught grammar instead of writing. (DD)

School writing is often very different and disconnected from the writing done for the world outside school. This disconnection has led to the development of a separate set of rules for writing that operates only in school, or among those for whom school writing is treated as real writing.

Derives six principles about the teaching of writing from the works of Henry David Thoreau. (DD)

Sings praises of the manual typewriter and the old world craftsmanship of writing as a natural expression that can be done "miles from the nearest socket." (JK)

Urges that less emphasis be placed on speed and neatness in the teaching of writing. (DD)

The cause of students' inability to write is lack of practice; one solution is to hire a writing consultant for each school. (DD)

Students should write more and be encouraged more in their writing. (DD)

Urges that students be offered a wider range of writing modes and audiences and describes a program involving ungraded written exchanges among students. (DD)

Points out parallels between running and writing. (JL)

Fifteen writing instructors report their favorite ways of getting students to write. (RL)

Urges teachers to avoid excessive correction of student papers. (DD)

The rhetorical power of punctuation conventions as well as the effect of violating those conventions should be explained to the students. The craft in conventions can be found anywhere and all good writers use it in their work.

This article presents compelling reasons from teachers why they teach grammar. Amy Benjamin from Hendrick Hudson High School says, she teaches grammar for two reasons. The first is that grammar instruction gives students metalanguage, "language about language." The second reason is that students are interested in language--its changes and…

Kristien Marquez-Zenkov and James A. Harmon encouraged urban students to take photographs that illustrate the purposes of school, factors that support success in school, and barriers to success. The authors analyzed students' photos and written reflections on the photos to form recommendations regarding teaching approaches that encourage students'…