GGGGG Grammar

Some things I thought while reading the Grammar article by Hartwell:

1.) People have been arguing that "they're not teaching grammar in
schools!" since the 1950s? Someone needs to tell that to my 10th grade
English teacher, Ms. Chassin. We even diagrammed sentences, for God's sake.

2.) There seems to be an enormous white elephant in the room throughout
Hartwell's article (and Marijel alluded to this as well...). It seems to
me that the article ignores the fact of how schools have evolved (or
devolved) into developing every single student for "college readiness"
vs. career readiness. Of course the literacy levels and grammar levels
will go down, as more and more students are forced into molds for which
they may never fit and/or qualify.

3.) Additionally, I think it's worth noting that Microsoft Word (and
other typing programs) all underline any potential mistakes students
make so that they immediately question themselves and their writing.
That sort of forced metacognition might be more helpful than any
lectures I can give on grammar. Damn it.

4.) Sentence fragments are fragments only if you aren't "hyperliterate"
enough to recognize it as a purposeful fragment.

5.) I just wish my students would read their papers out loud--and I
think that's part of Hartwell's point. We recognize proper grammar in
speech, largely, as Hartwell asserts. It makes me wonder how much my
English learner students actually learn just through talking to me vs.
what I try to teach them.