As future educators this is such an important concept to remember because the attitude towards our students on the accessibility of writing is reflected by their perception of it…for just as the great Julius Campbell from Remember the Titans once said, “Attitude reflects leadership, captain”. This quote from this classic football movie is applicable to teaching in so many ways. My classroom will be my team and I will serve as the captain. I will be charged with the task of helping students to see that no matter what they desire or intend to major in, they can still be writers and authors. Their grammar, writing, and vocabulary do not have to be perfect; each of these elements is something that everyone is learning to improve and can only be improved on through actual practice…through actual writing.
The attached article is a list of famous authors who did not study English or writing in college. Many of them actually began their interests and careers in very different fields. I believe that sharing something along the lines of Stephen Fry’s video on grammar would made writing seem a little less scary and that sharing an article such as the one included would spark the interests of STEM students and students who believe that writing is just for a limited crowd. Through continuous practice and support all students can be writers.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/11/famous-authors-majors_n_3580722.html
-Erin Farrell