Teachers That Can't Teach, Teach Teachers

By Roger Colins

I've done my fair share of the profession and there's a saying that goes, 'Those that can't teach, teach teachers.'

I don't teach literature, I've only ever taught language so I'm left here wondering.

Does the same apply to Literature?

Having gone through my inbox this morning I picked up on a couple of sketchy articles on otherwise interesting subjects. The first was discussing whether or not online editors are useful or not.

The article was short with a couple of examples. The second was a ream page of how to find a Literary Agent in the United States. Both were informative, inquisitive and useful.

Fine.

Clearly both are writers of one kind or another, yet their chosen corner of expertise here is 'How to write'.

There's nothing wrong with the odd tips and guides but isn't there something a little more worthwhile to garner one's attention? Wouldn't someone ask, if they had a problem they needed clarification on and aren't there institutions for this like, schools?

A writer, author, journalist or any established literati bang out prose day and night, hitting the save button on the word processor every two seconds. Some will have to wait a good nine or ten months before something eventually arrives worth finding the export button.

Blogging is a prime example and just because SEO's say that your content must be a 'How To' page, all of the creative posts appear to be disappearing. We're all turning into reporters.

If someone chooses to do a page on 'writing for dummies' don't they have anything better to write about? Unless these professionals have come across a new idea, that just so happens to be on 'How to' I expect they aren't going to waste their time explaining how they do, what they do, because they're simply too busy doing it already.


Are the 'How to' writers teaching teachers?

Have a look at the nearest best seller list and I expect you'll find that it's all pulp fiction, glossed up with a sharp jacket and glossy promotional posters scattered across the landscape.

Finding a good read these days is like trying to find your keys down the back of a sofa.

Looking at it from a top down perspective, there's an undeniable hole in the world, somewhere. Where have all the good writers gone and are they all teaching teachers?

Maybe they're all doing promotions instead of writing.

I'm busy as all hell. I've got this blog that I've been neglecting in favour of plotting and characters, I've got another site I'm building all on my lonesome, got students to consider, soirées to attend with the in laws and bills to pay.

Of course, I would damn the lot if I could and concentrate on what I love the most; writing. Now and then I'll do a post on the benefits of a useful program or the semantic value of certain words I like but I've only really done the one 'How To' article and haven't even published it.

Perhaps I'm turning into a teacher teacher?


There's Those Books

Having trawled the internet and forums and posts and blogs and articles on how to write, you might say to yourself,


     'There's got to be a book out there that will gather them all up and lead me straight from A to B to C? There must be one. Maybe I could write one?'


Well, there's a few actually and they're not very good, in fact, they're awful and rank about as high up the best seller list as the editions on the top shelf.

Upon such a tragic failure, most will turn to a favourite read and go to bed saying,


     'If only I could write like this guy Stevenson or this guy Tolkien or this guy Cornwell. They never wrote any how to books, if only they did then perhaps I'd have something to go on but, I'd probably not have these timeless masterpieces of Treasure Island and Lord of the Rings or Richard Sharpe.'


From there, one might just about be able to see past those glossy covers, enticing posters, pretty website designers and make a leap of faith.

Yes, you're holding the best how to book in your hand already. 

While teaching teachers might feel satisfying, it might just be a complete waste of time. Indeed, someone will one day come along and exclaim 'I've found it! Just what I was looking for!' or 'That's interesting, I think they might be onto something there.'

Informing others on one's own experiences is important, nay, an obligation for we would not be where we are now without the generosity of others but, we all know that our talents are being frittered away and that we could do our readers a greater justice by redirecting them to simple a book list of the masters and perhaps, start writing something a little less preachy. (whoops!)

#teaching #literature