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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is it acceptable for a Year 10 English teacher to say this?

60 replies

AreolaGrande · 17/04/2024 22:42

"Where was you up to?"

Said to a student in relation to a text.

YABU = yes, it is acceptable
YANBU = no, it is not acceptable.

OP posts:
2mummies1baby · 18/04/2024 06:53

All teachers should speak standard English in front of pupils. Trying to teach my Year 6s that 'we was' is incorrect is made much harder by the fact that several of my colleagues say it.

pinklepea · 18/04/2024 02:16

SmallIslander · 18/04/2024 01:37

If it's a dialect thing, it probably just slipped out. I've never used this phrase but I have caught myself using dodgy grammar due to it being common where I am from.

It's a bit unfortunate for an English teacher to make that sort of mistake though!

No- everyone makes mistakes. It would be wrong for English teacher to pass it off as correct and not admit mistake- but teachers are human, and if they can show how to learn from mistakes then that's great.

SmallIslander · 18/04/2024 01:37

If it's a dialect thing, it probably just slipped out. I've never used this phrase but I have caught myself using dodgy grammar due to it being common where I am from.

It's a bit unfortunate for an English teacher to make that sort of mistake though!

YoureALizardHarry11 · 18/04/2024 01:20

WatermelonWaveclub · 18/04/2024 01:13

Where was you up to? = Where were you up to?

Dialect in London/Essex

Show quote history

Yes, the penny dropped eventually. Just very confusing to me initially. If I heard it said out loud I’d have probably understood, but for some reason struggled seeing it written! 🤣

WatermelonWaveclub · 18/04/2024 01:13

YoureALizardHarry11 · 18/04/2024 01:03

Colloquial or not, the sentence doesn’t even make sense. What’s it supposed to mean? ‘’Where were you?’’ or, ‘’What were you up to?’’ The two are completely different questions 😂

Where was you up to? = Where were you up to?

Dialect in London/Essex

YoureALizardHarry11 · 18/04/2024 01:03

Colloquial or not, the sentence doesn’t even make sense. What’s it supposed to mean? ‘’Where were you?’’ or, ‘’What were you up to?’’ The two are completely different questions 😂

KillerTomato7 · 18/04/2024 00:58

They should be arrested.

ReadtheReviews · 18/04/2024 00:22

Pretty dire OP. Not uncommon unfortunately.

whoneedssixteen · 17/04/2024 23:40

It's perfectly ok colloquial speech in several regions. I have a friend - highly qualified, very intelligent, writes brilliantly - and she wd say this. (East London). Presumably she was asking for progress in a book or test or programme
How far have you got? Where did you get up to/ Where were you up to? where was you up to? (You was is common in some London regions.
Not posh, not RP - but fine.

JanglyBeads · 17/04/2024 23:33

OP has cut and run....

BoneshakerBike · 17/04/2024 23:31

LordSnot · 17/04/2024 23:20

Not acceptable but par for the course with the teaching recruitment crisis. Schools can't afford to demand basic standards of literacy from teachers.

Literacy is reading and writing
Do you mean Oracy?

RosesAndHellebores · 17/04/2024 23:29

My dd is an English teacher. She would not say that. I would not have been impressed if either of my children's teachers had. They were switched from state to private because of similar aberrations.

Slippersandrum · 17/04/2024 23:27

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

CelesteCunningham · 17/04/2024 23:27

Regional dialect used when speaking informally? Absolutely fine, I'm sure she wouldn't use it in writing.

It would be a shame for all the regional quirks to die out. Also a shame for classrooms to be overly formal - especially in a subject like English where everyone benefits from free flowing discussion.

Alloveragain3 · 17/04/2024 23:25

I wouldn't be happy tbh

Scarletttulips · 17/04/2024 23:25

Burn her at the stake!

Just once?

Wonder if she judges your parenting?

kezzykicks · 17/04/2024 23:23

I live in Essex and it's common here, it's just dialect. If the teacher is otherwise good I wouldn't care personally.

marshmallowfinder · 17/04/2024 23:22

I think it's pretty awful for an English teacher to have said. They are there to teach correct English.

marshmallowfinder · 17/04/2024 23:20

notyouagainbantu · 17/04/2024 22:59

It's Yorkshire dialect, not ideal in an English class but no worse that 'we was sat' which is used all the time.

Not by English teachers though.

LordSnot · 17/04/2024 23:20

Not acceptable but par for the course with the teaching recruitment crisis. Schools can't afford to demand basic standards of literacy from teachers.

Spinet · 17/04/2024 23:19

It's dialect even if not Yorkshire. I'd be annoyed if a teacher wrote it, but saying it? No. Teachers are human beings modelling human behaviour not standard English robots.

lazyarse123 · 17/04/2024 23:18

notyouagainbantu · 17/04/2024 22:59

It's Yorkshire dialect, not ideal in an English class but no worse that 'we was sat' which is used all the time.

It's absolutely not Yorkshire dialect. I'm as Yorkshire as you could get and I would never say that.

thistimelastweek · 17/04/2024 23:18

Would it be better or worse if a year 6 English teacher said it?

RightOnTheEdge · 17/04/2024 23:17

Oh, I couldn't care less 😒

Rosestulips · 17/04/2024 23:14

notyouagainbantu · 17/04/2024 22:59

It's Yorkshire dialect, not ideal in an English class but no worse that 'we was sat' which is used all the time.

I’ve heard Essex people ( those towie people) say it too