Mr. Michael J. Clements
Department Chair: English
Nipmuc Regional High School
Welcome!
"When a subject is highly controversial...one cannot hope to tell the truth. One can only show how one came to hold whatever opinion one does hold. One can only give one's audience the chance of drawing their own conclusions as they observe the limitations, the prejudices, the idiosyncrasies, of the speaker" (Virginia Woolf).
Perhaps at one time or another, every teacher of writing has called on his students to describe something...a scene...an event...a fragment of life. While description is the backbone of the narrative, it is also at the core of sharing reality and vicarious experiences. It is the evidence that fuels the argument. Bringing our students to their "inner voice" is not easy. The obstacles are many, not because students are not engaged, but because students succumb to generalizations. They are not prepared to show what they know. Rather, students tell about experiences. Their voice is devoid of what they see, hear, taste, smell, and touch. Ironically, they are passionate about how they perceive a moment but are ill-equipped to explain its magnitude or tone. Consequently, their writing has a faint pulse...little resonates, and as a result, the position is lost. The logic is lost. The ethic is lost. The passion fades.
So, let us imagine; if reading is the experience in all language arts classes, then writing must be the opportunity. Therefore, all discourse matters. What happens for us now is great; the listening, sharing, and remembering are the rhythms and rhymes of our existence. Let us be clear; let us be precise; let us examine all possibilities.
mc
Department Chair: English
Nipmuc Regional High School
Welcome!
"When a subject is highly controversial...one cannot hope to tell the truth. One can only show how one came to hold whatever opinion one does hold. One can only give one's audience the chance of drawing their own conclusions as they observe the limitations, the prejudices, the idiosyncrasies, of the speaker" (Virginia Woolf).
Perhaps at one time or another, every teacher of writing has called on his students to describe something...a scene...an event...a fragment of life. While description is the backbone of the narrative, it is also at the core of sharing reality and vicarious experiences. It is the evidence that fuels the argument. Bringing our students to their "inner voice" is not easy. The obstacles are many, not because students are not engaged, but because students succumb to generalizations. They are not prepared to show what they know. Rather, students tell about experiences. Their voice is devoid of what they see, hear, taste, smell, and touch. Ironically, they are passionate about how they perceive a moment but are ill-equipped to explain its magnitude or tone. Consequently, their writing has a faint pulse...little resonates, and as a result, the position is lost. The logic is lost. The ethic is lost. The passion fades.
So, let us imagine; if reading is the experience in all language arts classes, then writing must be the opportunity. Therefore, all discourse matters. What happens for us now is great; the listening, sharing, and remembering are the rhythms and rhymes of our existence. Let us be clear; let us be precise; let us examine all possibilities.
mc