The Problems

The more I research this paper, the more I realize the barriers I’ll face as I walk into that classroom. English education has a bad history: faulty research, easy ways out, ineffective teaching, all working against the idealistic pursuit of creating life-long learners.

Fran Claggett, an author, poet, and educator published a book called Teaching Writing: Craft, Art, and Genre. In an interview for her book, she commented, “We need to be vigilant in ways to resist easy answers: scripted lessons, faulty research, test-driven curricula” (2). I’ve really come to learn that the easiest answers don’t accomplish what students need and deserve out of education. Teachers are so focused on appearing to be good teachers that they focus on the simplest answers, like preparing their students for state tests. However, the more I observe and research education, the more I see that redundant, menial, test-focused, not to mention mind-numbing curriculum doesn’t allow for any personal or creative growth and it definitely doesn’t support long term development, even if mandated tests seem to show that they are functioning at an adequate level.

Thankfully, the government and English education programs have recognized the need to do more than just get students through high school by attempting to prepare them for life after they graduate. These attempts are the foundation behind what is now called workplace literacy. This program “refers to the skill set and training necessary for an individual employee to do his or her job… According to the Department of Labor, approximately one in five workers lacks basic literacy skills. The National Association of Manufacturers surveyed its members and found that over half of the companies find their workers have serious shortcomings in basic math, writing and reading comprehension skills” (Hart 2). However, I’ve noticed a lot of mixed feelings regarding workplace literacy. The first problem is the segregation that it implies and enforces. Educator, Jacqueline Darvin said, “I’ve been told numerous times by white, upper-middle-class students that they were cautioned against attending vocational school by their guidance counselors, parents, and teachers. They were told that vocational training ‘wasn’t for them’ and that they were definitely ‘college material’” (35). I think that this thought process is extremely damaging for both sides of the equation. Not only are some students told that they must ignore what they are interested in, because of societal views of success, but it’s only logical that students on the other side, who may have a deep desire to learn academically and develop literacy skills, are being pressured into ignoring academics in favor of “real-life” training.

With this new emergence of workplace literacy, teachers, who remain advocates of supplying students with all of the beautiful literature and writing resources that have remained a staple of English education, are understandably struggling to discover how to incorporate everything into their curriculum. “On one hand, teachers do not wish to do the bidding of business or frame the subject of English so narrowly as only to be doing job training. On the other hand, teachers do not wish to deprive their students of literacy skills that would help them be successful in life, including those useful to finding employment and advancement in their chosen vocations” (Robbins 41). Robbins goes on to argue that by cutting traditional works and expressive and imaginative writing to make place for workplace English, we are trivializing English (41). So, how is it possible to balance preparing students for real-life post high school situations while providing them with the chance to think, explore, and express themselves, skills that are equally vital for life? It seems to me that taking either side to the extreme deprives our students of necessary skills. Should we be spending half of the year teaching the beauty of classic English education and half of the year teaching workplace education? Or is there a way to do both at once?

Once workplace literacy is implemented, another major problem to face is the low quality of assignments being given under the justification that these menial tasks are preparation for real life required skills. Teachers are setting aside wonderful and powerful literary texts and ignoring any kind of interesting or creative writing in favor of educating students on how to fill out forms or write messages. While I can see the good intentions behind doing things like this, I came to love and appreciate English because of the beautiful literature and inspiring compositions. I don’t know of anyone who has a love for and a desire to learn more about memos. Educators who teach these basic skills are not only doing a disservice to these students’ education, they are mocking and demeaning the intellect of their students, as well. Darvin commented, “One needs only to look at one or two ‘workplace writing’ textbooks to see what many school-to-work advocates consider ‘functional literacy’ to be. These textbooks are filled with skill and drill lessons on how to properly fill out job application forms, time sheets, telephone messages, work orders, shipping labels, packing lists, W-4 forms, petty cash vouchers, purchase orders, and the like. In addition, they usually contain units on resume writing, business letters, and personal banking. There are few if any opportunities provided by these books for students to read whole texts or to express their opinions in writing” (36). I think that these problems address one of the most important aspects of teaching: expectations. Students will never succeed if we expect them to fail and if we shut away lessons and paper assignments that are “too smart” for them with the thought that they’ll never need to think creatively or expressively, then they will never think creatively or desire to express themselves. Darvin described a paper that he found while doing an assessment. One high school student wrote this in response to what must have been a tedious and unimaginative assignment.

I could sit here this whole time and write about this useless information which means nothing to me anyway. I could do that, but instead I am going to write to you about why I feel that this test is totally irrelevant. This test is supposed to help me and show me my weak points in communication skills, but it won’t. I am at a great disadvantage in taking this test because I am unable to work to my highest capability. No one ever told me about this test, so I was unable to prepare for it. It asks you to take phone messages from a taped recording and do other menial tasks which have nothing to do with what I hope to do with my life and career. I know that I am not alone in my complaint because other students feel this way too, but they just rushed through the test to get out of here. I’m sorry if this is not the writing exercise that you wanted, but it is the only thing that I feel that I can write. I simply cannot sit here and allow myself to take a ridiculous test that asks me to fill out forms and stuff. I hope you take my letter into consideration and think about coming up with a better test that will really tell you something about a student’s ability to communicate. Thank you (36).

I think that it is amazing that this student was able to create a well written, persuasive, and personal essay under the sparse resources and encouragement he was used to receiving. As he said, most of the students just rushed through the assignment so that they could get the points for it and get out of class. The assignments being given required little individual thought and absolutely no critical thinking. Even in low level classes, the students I’ll face will be young adults, which means that they have developed the capacity to observe how they are being treated and the implications of their treatment. They recognize when we have low expectations and they recognize when the things they are learning are simple, unintelligent, and repetitive. I think that by keeping high expectations and never “dumbing down” assignments, we will do an even better job of preparing our students for other situations and for times when they’ll need to push themselves.