I was just looking through my sister's english file today, when I came across her Commonwealth Essay.
It was quite well-written, considering she'd never had english tuition in her life. But what struck me most was how different her composition was from mine. Her style of writing was the Learning Lab style: It was how a student model composition in Learning Lab would be like, the run-of-the-mill phrases (you know, 'like a deer caught in headlights' etcetera). It was as if she poured her vocabulary book of compo phrases into those pieces of foolscap, just like a Learning Lab student model. The type of composition where you seriously plan a mindmap, stick closely to the subject, add in fancy phrases and adhere to the ten percent dialogue rule.
I remember I always used to get excited about writing compositions in Learning Lab. I was so eager, I almost always went off topic, or I used way too much dialogue, or I forgot to throw in Learning Lab's favourite description phrases. The compo would often come back as NA, Not-Applicable, with harsh red marks across the paper. Things like, "You're way too off-topic, Rachel! Remember, always plan carefully and stick to your subject!" or "Too much dialogue, Rachel, I know you can do better than that!"
But that was the way I liked it. I didn't like having to stick to just one stupid topic, or the ridiculous ten percent dialogue rule. Which was why Ms Chang, my Learning Lab teacher, used to pull me aside and say, "Rachel, I know that you can write well, and I just want you to bring out your own potential. But you can't do that if you keep thinking that you're writing a whole entire story book instead of a compo based on a talking onion!"
I was just trying to be different. I didn't want to just write another monotonous compo. I wrote like that because I poured my feelings into it, so much that I would start to go off-topic, because I have too much to write about, too many emotions to express. And what better way to express emotions than through speech? Speech is a form of expression, there shouldn't be a limit to how much we use. I don't ask for a ninety percent allowance, I'm just asking for twenty, or maybe twenty-five. And instead of just gashing a red mark across the page as NA, why not just cut off some marks, even if I failed?
Which was why I always hated English composition-writing classes. I hate the way they dictate to us on how to write, what to write, why we should write. English compositions seem to have become Maths, there's even a new formula to writing a good composition.
But is that how people really feel? Shouldn't writing be something that comes freely out of your own heart, not shrewd calculations and draining of brain juices?
I know some don't agree with me, because whenever they follow the Learning Lab way, they always got the mark.
Yeah, I know, because I used to do that too. And I always got Ms Chang's approval.
Which is kind of biased if you ask me.