Sometimes it Sucks to Be an English Major

One of my roommates popped over the top of the couch today and asked me if I would edit her paper. Sure, why not. I'm an English major, I should put some of these skills to use. Plus, if I'm going to be a teacher, I should probably get into the swing of doing things like editing.

I went upstairs and flopped on to my bed with essay and red pen in hand. I quickly found that I wasn't dealing with an editing problem, I was dealing with a writing problem. My roommate, who happens to be a business major, has never been asked to write a thesis-driven paper. As someone who has been writing at least two thesis-driven papers every semester for the last four years of my life (and probably more), I could not believe that a college junior could not piece together a coherent argument. This sounds like I'm ragging on her doesn't it? Well, that's not what I'm getting at. She is a business major, and as such doesn't have to write this kind of paper. She hasn't sat through countless workshops about writing a good thesis. Honestly, I do not necessarily think the poorly argued essay was her fault. As I read, I recognized that she put considerable time and effort into it, but it lacked unity of thought. She attempted a thesis but produced a weak argument.

This just got me thinking: why, in 15 odd years of education, has no one taught this girl how to write an analytical, thesis-driven essay? I was first introduced to that skill in middle school and had persistent tutelage in the art of the essay throughout high school, and now into college.

What is going on in the education system that basic writing skills whose application reaches far past the confines of English class are not addressed?

And while I'm on my soapbox, why is there such a class as college algebra? I learned algebra in 8th grade. Pull it together, people.