Response to Lindemann's Ch. 14

Reading Lindemann's chapter on responding to student writing got me thinking about the purpose of teachers. I don't believe it is to be a policeman and constantly point out wrongs in the hope that we will change students for the better. I believe it is to encourage and help students grow, as trite as that sounds, in a way that changes their thinking. I liked the chapter because she offers specific ways in which to go about doing that. So often I hear about the rigid, standardized test results-driven classrooms that many teachers are faced with. My fear is to one day become a teacher and to not be able to teach they way I want to. I don't want a class that I have to hound or pressure to pass certain scores. I don't think I would enjoy teaching very much if that were the case. Maybe this is the norm, I don't know. I want a class in which discussions can be had about the learning process, and where learning and improving are key, not passing a test. It will be disappointing if I don't get to explore different teaching methods that I feel will really make a difference, such as the ones prescribed in Lindemann. Ideas like taking the time to adequately comment on papers and create a teacher-student dialogue, or allowing them ample time to prewrite, draft, and rewrite to monitor progress. I believe these techniques will make a big difference in the way students feel about writing and in the results I'll get from them. In reading her ideas on responding positively and letting students evaluate each other, I realized that teachers are meant to be guides. I've always known this, but Lindemann is helping me see more clearly how to give guidance. My only questions is how realistic is it to believe that teachers in writing departments will collaborate like she said to come up with grading scales and grade each other's students' work? 

:)