Debate of the Time

Several years ago a small debate about teaching raged across the land. On television we heard different comments to the effect that teachers aren’t teaching subject matter—say algebra—but are teaching students. Even some teachers were saying this. I wondered if any English teachers were guilty of this notion. If so, it proved they did not know the subject they taught.

The statement should read: Teachers teach the students algebra. A little knowledge of grammar lets one know “algebra” is the Direct Object, in this case, the subject taught. “Students” is the Indirect Object indicating who receive the instruction.

The noise over the air finally abated. Perhaps some English teacher got to the source of the roar and set things right. Perhaps, too, journalists might have shared the responsibility for this atrocity, you know, anything for a story. It pays to know good English in any profession and in any job.

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