Today's Comments

I still have questions regarding the "mother tongue" and its place in students writing. I can understand the free-flowing, creativity of using it, and I do support that, but I guess I still have concerns about the process of self-editing. The "safety" issue is vitally important, but I do feel that it can be addressed in the professionalism of the educator as well as the use of dialect. I think there is a place for the deliberate study of grammar, mechanics, and usage, maybe even in isolation, before it can be addressed in writing or reading. It seems to me that there are some things that must be learned before they can be used just like math facts. It doesn't mean endless worksheets, necessarily, but I do feel that there is value in stressing the basics of grammar, mechanics, and usage before, during, and after writing.