Expectations

When I started writing, I hoped to meet a teacher who knew about writing. This was it. I did not expect him to understand my errors or any reasons behind the errors because eliminating errors on my papers was my biggest concern. I thought error-free papers could be made possible. Through many trials and errors, I have learned that I cannot produce the ideal paper and had to learn that writing is a never-ending story.

I heard that students in basic writing courses are hardly motivated to learn to write. I don’t know the exact reasons, but my guessing is that they do not want to accept the fact that they need to learn to write. Or they do not see how their writing course can improve their writing skills. As I thought, I think they may not see writing as something that writers are always learning to do.

I don’t know about basic writing teachers’ expectations, either. However, it did not seem to be hopeful. At first, I could not understand the underlying perceptions that basic writing teachers have towards their students and from other professionals. Only after I read and heard stories form books and my friends, basic writing instructors, I could understand the reasons why both teachers and students in basic writing classes are less likely to learn and teach how to write more effectively.

To me, the point is that the expectations for teachers and students are made by each other. If a teacher implies low expectations toward the basic writing students, their students are also likely to have such expectations not only for themselves but for the teachers.