Re: Not qualified to teach? Who cares?

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I work in the Writing Center and I see the worst
> assignments coming through - professors who have no idea how
> to teach writing or foster writing - but does the Dean do
> anything? Help them in any way?
>
> No. Maybe she doesn't know but the system grinds on...and
> students pay money and when they get a decent professor, they
> are SO happy.
>

Does the writing center get students from all majors or just
English classes?

I teach upper division classes and would expect my students to be
able to write by now. Sadly, many of them (especially foreign
born) still do not write at the college level. I know our writing
center will gladly help them and I refer them to the writing
center when I see major deficiencies.

Sadly, I don't have time to correct poor writing. I do grade for
it by simply stating my policy that a poorly written paper will
automatically be disqualified from getting an A--regardless of
content.

I had a very enlightening experience last year. I taught an honors
class at my university and the quality of the papers was awesome.
I had forgotten what it was like to get a majority of
well-organized, thought papers that were well written. I think I
will raise my standards for all classes after that experience.

An idea I am flirting with is to have students collaborate to
review other student papers on-line prior to submission.
Collaborative On-line Learning is catching on and, if done
properly, can work well.

Deans outside of the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences are not
going to get involved with improving writing even though you would
think they should. It has to come from the faculty...many of whom
can't write in English themselves.  

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