Dear reader,
As an English teacher, the most common request I get is from pushy Korean parents asking me to turn their middle schooler into a college-level writer. And this is a problem because when you're in 6th grade you should think and write like a 6th grader. Unlike other subjects, you can’t cut corners with the writing process through an accelerated program. It has a fragile timetable. Teaching literary skills to teenagers before they’re mature enough to use them can be dangerous. I can always tell which students learned to write too early. They litter their ideas with flowery language and manipulate sentence structure. They’re dropping clichés they haven’t experienced yet. They don't respect the words. It's like a little girl wearing makeup.
Dear parents,
Please stop pushing your kids but pray for them. Let them play a sport and hang out with friends. Lecture less because kids hate whatever their parents say to do. They will grow up when you let them make decisions. even bad ones. Also, when you come to a parent-teacher conference… SHUTUP! Stop making excuses for your child and listen. I see your child for 50 minutes everyday in a social setting and I read their opinions of controversial literature. You want to hear what I have to say.
Dear students,
If you're staring at the empty page trying to write your college essay, you're already screwed. The writer's goal is not to use words but rather to be at a loss for them. Throughout your adolescence, you will experience a handful of pivotal moments if you can stay off Facebook long enough. Don’t miss it. And when it happens, write it down. If you lead an inspired life, your essay will write itself. If you’re honest with yourself and work hard, God will take your breath away.
As an English teacher, the most common request I get is from pushy Korean parents asking me to turn their middle schooler into a college-level writer. And this is a problem because when you're in 6th grade you should think and write like a 6th grader. Unlike other subjects, you can’t cut corners with the writing process through an accelerated program. It has a fragile timetable. Teaching literary skills to teenagers before they’re mature enough to use them can be dangerous. I can always tell which students learned to write too early. They litter their ideas with flowery language and manipulate sentence structure. They’re dropping clichés they haven’t experienced yet. They don't respect the words. It's like a little girl wearing makeup.
Dear parents,
Please stop pushing your kids but pray for them. Let them play a sport and hang out with friends. Lecture less because kids hate whatever their parents say to do. They will grow up when you let them make decisions. even bad ones. Also, when you come to a parent-teacher conference… SHUTUP! Stop making excuses for your child and listen. I see your child for 50 minutes everyday in a social setting and I read their opinions of controversial literature. You want to hear what I have to say.
Dear students,
If you're staring at the empty page trying to write your college essay, you're already screwed. The writer's goal is not to use words but rather to be at a loss for them. Throughout your adolescence, you will experience a handful of pivotal moments if you can stay off Facebook long enough. Don’t miss it. And when it happens, write it down. If you lead an inspired life, your essay will write itself. If you’re honest with yourself and work hard, God will take your breath away.
