Keeslers Writing World

I really enjoyed Tom Romano's article on Breaking the Rules in Style. I thought it was incredible some of the idea's and reasonings that the students had for writing the way that they did. I am certainly one that believes it's what you write that's important not how you write it. This article to me says just that. Many great writers have, as pointed out in the article, used styles that by traditional standards would be incorrect and yet their still considered to be some of the best writers of all time. So why is it that we feel we need to put some sort of rules on how someone writes a poem or story? Why can't a student be graded simply on the content of their writing and not the style in which they chose to write? These are the major questions that I have after having read Romano's article.
I do believe that there are certain times and places where a person must write more prescriptivly, but I feel that in a classroom learning about writing and how to make points or ideas come accross in a work is not necessarily the place to do it. I think that part of the reason that I've heard so many students say that they hate english is because of all the rules that some teachers try to force on them. If we don't give students room to be creative and express themselves then how are they gonna have any sort of passion for writing? I know that I personally dreaded my english classes my first couple years of high school. It wasn't until my last two years that I really became passionate about writing, and that was because I discovered that writing didn't just have to be about books. It could be about me or something that I love to do.
By throwing out all the rules that have been laid out for us out the door for awhile we will allow our students to open up to the idea of writing and become more creative. If we can get students to do this who knows what they will do with it. Maybe our society will benefit greatly by doing so. I believe that there is a direct correlation between students who are more creative and students that excel in area's of academics.