Reading This Forum Has Me Concerned About the State of Education in the U.S.! (schools, paying)

[lkb0714]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

You don't think you are judged on the quality of your writing, Magritte? Really?

I'll admit to being snarky, but I stand behind my assertion that it's naive to believe that others do not look to your writing to judge your professionalism, character, competence, education, and intelligence. This is most certainly the case when the sum of personal interaction takes place in written form.

Anyone who judges someones professionalism based on informal posts on an internet forum by typos, or spelling errors, is self-righteous in the extreme. Everyone including you, make mistakes in here, are you ignorant, or unprofessional? Or maybe, just maybe, you make mistakes now and again?

This is not a professional setting not sure why you cannot understand that concept. Would you go up to someone on the street who used slang and accuse them of being unprofessional at whatever their job is? Seriously, would you?

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

You don't think you are judged on the quality of your writing, Magritte? Really?

I'll admit to being snarky, but I stand behind my assertion that it's naive to believe that others do not look to your writing to judge your professionalism, character, competence, education, and intelligence. This is most certainly the case when the sum of personal interaction takes place in written form.

I don't care if I'm judged on the quality of my writing on an internet forum, quite frankly.

In places where my writing actually matters, I can and do write very well.

[formercalifornian]

LKB, please remove that giant chip from your shoulder. Nobody has declared or implied that you are unworthy of your position. This thread is a valid discussion of an issue, not a personal attack on you.

Of course I make mistakes, and I've admitted as much, but I also understand that my writing is one very important way that I demonstrate my professionalism, competence, education, and intelligence. As such, I work very hard to write well at all times, but I make no claim to perfection.

Let me also point out that this is a public education forum, and many teachers who participate make no secret of their positions. Is it not reasonable to assume that what they write reflects, for better or worse, on the teaching profession?

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

Let me also point out that this is an education forum, and many teachers who participate make no secret of their professions. Is it not reasonable to assume that what they write reflects, for better or worse, on the teaching profession?

As a non-teaching parent of an elementary aged child? No, it is not a reasonable expectation. IMO, it's like judging a teacher because they go out drinking with their friends on the weekend or because they have a saucy sense of humor. If it's not directly effecting my children's education or his classroom experience, I honestly don't care.

[lisdol]

Originally Posted by lisdol

LOL I used to ride horses.

My kids love the book "The King Who Rained" by (Herman Munster - oh goodness what is his real name?)

Aha! I remembered. Fred Gwynne. Its a fun book and my kids think its hilarious. Its all about misunderstanding expressions and homonyms. (eg "Mommy has a frog in her throat"..."the bank robber held up a bank and is now on the lamb" (with a picture of a guy holding a building above his head and then riding away on a lamb))

Sorry, a little OT.

Anyone see the movie 'Idiocracy'? Pretty awful movie but kind of an interesting premise.

[lkb0714]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

LKB, please remove that giant chip from your shoulder. Nobody has declared or implied that you are unworthy of your position. This thread is a valid discussion of an issue, not a personal attack on you.

Actually, it has. I agree maybe not from you, but certainly from other posters.

Of course I make mistakes, and I've admitted as much, but I also understand that my writing is one very important way that I demonstrate my professionalism, competence, education, and intelligence. As such, I work very hard to write well at all times, but I make no claim to perfection.

And everyone must hold themselves to YOUR standard to be deemed worthy of holding their job? You do know that is completely ridiculous, right?

Let me also point out that this is a public education forum, and many teachers who participate make no secret of their positions. Is it not reasonable to assume that what they write reflects, for better or worse, on the teaching profession?

We are going in circles here. This is not a professional forum in anyway, it is an anonymous forum and holds no more professional weight than the forum on pets does for the veterinary profession. Additionally, the real estate forum is full of people claiming to be real estate agents and brokers. I would not consider their forum a professional one either. No one who claims to be any particular profession on city-data is verified one way or another. So if you are going to judge a profession based on anonymous internet sites, more fool you.

I belong to several professional forums for teachers and the tone there is far different than it is here, and even the actual English professors are cognizant of the fact that internet forums are not an accepted form of formal communication.

[Ohiogirl81]

Here's what I don't understand: If you know how to write properly, why wouldn't you want to, no matter the medium? If you know that you must use an upper-case letter to begin a sentence, and a period to end it, why wouldn't you do just that?

Are people really that lazy, careless, or ignorant?

Originally Posted by Magritte25

Actually you are incorrect. Writing is dependent on the audience you are attempting to reach. Ad writing is different than news writing, which in turn, is different than creative writing.

Thank you for that tutorial. As a professional writer, I had no idea.

Communication is the act of receiving messages from a sender. If someone gets the message, communication has taken place; bad grammar or not.

And if there's the possibility that your message would miss the mark because of poor grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc., wouldn't you want to make sure your writing was the best it could possibly be in order to reduce that possibility?

This is not rocket science.

[lkb0714]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Here's what I don't understand: If you know how to write properly, why wouldn't you want to, no matter the medium? If you know that you must use an upper-case letter to begin a sentence, and a period to end it, why wouldn't you do just that?

Because my posts are understood as they are.

Are people really that lazy, careless, or ignorant?

This is the part that is plain old crap. Who are YOU to decide that people who choose to follow informal writing on an anonymous internet forum are any of those things?

It is as judgmental and baseless to call those of us who make typos ignorant and lazy. Just as it is would be for me to call you an uptight, self-righteous, moron who cannot grasp the difference between formal and informal writing.

Thank you for that tutorial. As a professional writer, I had no idea.

One would think that a professional writer would grasp the difference between formal and informal writing and would also recognize that all styles of writing need not be "concise". Odd.

And if there's the possibility that your message would miss the mark because of poor grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc., wouldn't you want to make sure your writing was the best it could possibly be in order to reduce that possibility?

If you cannot understand what someone is trying to say because they used "alot" instead of "a lot" or two question marks instead of one than you have larger issues than grammatical ones. Besides, lets be honest here, you aren't remotely stating that you cannot understand our post, you are just being self-righteous.

For example:

Is this not you?

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

"How can anyone hate hockey??"

Kind of makes you look like a jerk for calling me ignorant for doing something you do as well

This is not rocket science.

Wow, how condescending. Can you imagine if I took that tone you are taking with people who do not understand science to the degree that I do? I am a professional scientist but I do not expect everyone else in the world to remember every single thing they learned in high school science classes.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by lkb0714

Who are YOU to decide that people who choose to follow informal writing on an anonymous internet forum are any of those things?

I decide when I can't fathom what the hell you're blathering on about, whether it be from a lack of knowledge of grammar, spelling or sentence structure, or a lack of understanding of logic.

Just as it is would be for me to call you an uptight, self-righteous, moron who cannot grasp the difference between formal and informal writing.

Now that's not very nice! Surely your mama didn't teach you to talk like that.

For example:

Is this not you?

I'm sorry, you've lost me; what does hockey have to do with this?

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Here's what I don't understand: If you know how to write properly, why wouldn't you want to, no matter the medium? If you know that you must use an upper-case letter to begin a sentence, and a period to end it, why wouldn't you do just that?

Are people really that lazy, careless, or ignorant?

Thank you for that tutorial. As a professional writer, I had no idea.


And if there's the possibility that your message would miss the mark because of poor grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc., wouldn't you want to make sure your writing was the best it could possibly be in order to reduce that possibility?

This is not rocket science.

I *really* hate when people do this. I had no idea you were a professional writer, so there is no need to be snarky about it. Talk about being professional on a forum! Do you usually correct people in such a manner?