I wrote the pretest and realized that my grammar needs improvement. I had several errors when it came to more complicated points of grammar. I also read A Space for Academic Play about ten days ago and discovered that in learning journals you should have a sense of play. I quickly looked up Donald Winnicott on wikipedia and discovered his basic ideas.

Although we are supposed to stick to rigid grammar rules our writing should have a sense of play. It should be playful according to Winnicott’s theories yet be within a structure. It makes one think of a school yard in grade school where the children play very creatively yet there are definite rules and boundaries, the teachers and monitors constantly watching the children at play.

Hopefully in writing this blog I can stick to the rules yet at the same time have fun writing.

I attended highschool in the seventies when there was an emphasis on just simply writing without highlighting grammar rules. Back then I read concrete poetry and novels like On the Road by Jack Kerouac (with its loose style of writing).  I would have to say that I never really studied grammar in all of my highschool years. I can only remember learning a few rules about grammar in grade school. In CEGEP and University I never really had the opportunity to learn about the mechanics of writing. I am quite happy to finally learn to write like a professional. (I will diligently write grammar exercises I can find online).

Nevertheless I have always been an avid reader. I read  The Economist, National Geographic, and a French and an English newspaper regularly. I have also read many novels.