I like to think of blogging as a new language people need to learn. At the outset we need to support good first steps and that’s it. Later we can expect more, but don’t lose the intent of the medium. I have a six year old daughter who’s learning to read and write and she often makes mistakes. But she’s learning the language and making mistakes is part of the process. What would happen if I constantly corrected her spelling this early on?

I applaud your student and her initiative in starting to blog. It may take time for her to “learn” this new language, but at least she’s giving it a try!

Jim (@jstorerj)

ps… I just re-read this comment, checking for obvious errors.

As you can see in my post, I agree with you Honestly, I’d rather have a student blogger with horrible mechanics and spelling than have the student NOT blog. It’s kind of like saying students shouldn’t read unless they’re really good at it, right? Thanks for making me think………….

I STILL would NEVER EVER EVER EVER discourage writing from a student. Just maybe guide & help with the spell checker.

And listen. I’m an ENGLISH teacher — I notice E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G — also used to work at the college paper as both Associate Managing Editor and Copy Editor. I KNOW the rules, but I have found that EXCESSIVE concern for them SQUELCHES good ideas, which are ~sometimes to my chagrin, but I hate that pedantic part of myself, hence the lack of caps on my blog, but only within the tilde!~ infinitely more important.

Never, never, never stop someone from writing because of mechanics. Period.

Hasn’t that ~ah-hem~ English teacher read Vonnegut, or Faulkner, or King, or Shakespeare ~can you say d.o.u.b.l.e. n.e.g.a.t.i.v.e~

I write fragments ALL THE TIME ON PURPOSE.

I’m not saying anything goes…. just almost anything.

Thanks much for the input. I agree about not criticizing without being able to offer input in private and have good relationship, but sometimes I cringe at the thought that someone could be reading something of mine and thinking it could be improved but not saying anthing. I guess it’s the same as any other kind of advice - parenting included Have to weigh risks of NOT saying anything with risk of hurting feelings, etc. For example, if you know the work is being viewed by an administrator, or someone who is influential in a teacher’s career, and the error is HUGE, I think sometimes it’s worth emailing the author? Obviously I’m still conflicted on this

I read and re-read my blog numerous times before I do a posting, and I go back in and edit if I find an error later.

On the other hand, I’ve had to grit my teeth and bear it when I make a mistake in a reply to someone else - it bothers me, but I know I have to move on (though I do occasionally delete a Tweet with errors).

If someone asks me to proofread for them, I do it gladly - have done so for a number of our staff members. I don’t think I’d criticize a blog posting without being invited, unless I knew the author fairly well and could make suggestions in private.

I realize that thoughts sometimes race ahead of fingers, and no one is perfect. I enjoy reading your blog and can’t recall any huge mistakes, but if I spot anything, I’ll let you know. By DM, of course.

diane