My grammar bio cont.

Number of entries received for the 2008 InnermoonLit Award for Best First Chapter of a Novel to date: 15

When Brian asked me to work as a typist and copy editor with him and three of his MFA classmates on their collaborative novel Stripmall Bohemia, I was nervous. In addition to the Yoko vibe I felt as the sole girlfriend butting into the four guys’ project, I was not at all confident about my abilities. Not only was my grammar knowledge limited, but I was a self-taught typist as well.

But I muddled through and, all in all, I think I helped the boys out. During that project, my typing and editing skills did improve, but the truth is, Brian is such a stringent reviser and self-editor, proofing his work didn’t force me to address all of my grammar deficiencies. I continued to make mistakes in my writing that he was far beyond making in his.

Teaching is what made me face the grammar dragon head on.

My first teaching experience was a high school course called Teacher Cadets, a sort of pre-education course for seniors to help us decide whether this was a career we wanted to pursue. In the spring, we traveled to another school for an hour a day to do observations, culminating in our teaching one lesson.

I was assigned to a sixth-grade language arts class which, much to my chagrin at the time, consisted entirely of grammar instruction. Reading had been separated into a different class period--one that didn’t align with my class schedule. The lesson I ended up having to teach was ‘who and whom.’ I was so nervous that I overlearned the lesson and, to this day, that is one grammar rule I’ve got down pat. On the other hand, I couldn’t tell you one thing the teacher taught during the 20 or so classes I observed.

This is getting long-winded, so I’m going to split it up to keep your eyes from crossing.