GEN: What I Learned on LM_NET

[Bill McLoughlin <BROOKM.media@WORTHINGTON.K12.OH.US>]

Dear Friends:

I've lurked on LM_NET far more than I've posted, but my recent posting =
about spelling on this listserv taught me a lot. =20

First, I learned that LM_NET is bigger than I ever realized.  I received =
79 peronal replies to that posting, 77 of which were supportive.  I =
appreciate the time and energy which members took in responding and =
reacting.

Second, I learned that no matter how carefully I try to phrase e-mail to =
be tactful and friendly, it can still manage to offend someone.  I =
sincerely apologize to anyone who interpreted my posting as a priggish, =
holier-than-thou criticism of the membership, especially those for whom =
English is a second language or those who consider e-mail a casual form of =
communication in which conventional standards of spelling and grammar are =
not important.  There was no such motivation!

My motivation came from seeing so much misspelling passed down from =
negligent adults to impressionable children.  As I write, our hallways at =
school are filled with nearly 60 projects on "artic" animals dutifully =
executed by kids whose teacher used "artic" eleven times in her handout =
explaining how to do the project.  I once worked with a business teacher =
who routinely wrote "buisness" on handouts and promotional materials, and =
legions of kids in her classes perpetuated the misspelling because they =
thought it was correct.  After all, it came from a TEACHER, didn't it??

When I see "plagerism" on LM_NET, I can't help wondering if that same =
misspelling is making its way into a media specialist's letter to parents, =
a bulletin board display, or an in-house communication to fellow educators.=
  I can't help feeling that a cavalier attitude toward spelling weakens =
the integrity of a group of people who pride themselves on accuracy of =
information.

Gotta go, friends.  I'm getting a nosebleed from standing so high on this =
soapbox!  :)   In the meantime, I am grateful for the healthy exchange of =
ideas on LM_NET and for the wealth of professionally enriching resources =
and knowledge which I receive from all of you every day.

Bill McLoughlin, Library Media Specialist
Brookside School, Worthington, Ohio
BROOKM.Media@Worthington.k12.oh.us

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