Teachers comment

[Deepfriedcleaner]

My DD age 14 was asked to write an essay at school about something that has affected her and how she resolved it.
She chose to write about our dog that sadly passed away recently.
She used it as a diary to let out her feelings about our dog. I was very proud of her for this as she has struggled to open up and it allowed her to grieve properly.
However, her English teacher called her aside today and said my DD clearly didn’t understand the topic as it was just a dog so she could have picked something more important to write about.
This obviously upset her to be told our dog was ‘just a dog’ and not a reason to be upset. I’m so angry this was said, I have sent an email to school to investigate.
Am I being ott? It isn’t ok to say this to a grieving child is it!?
I don’t know how someone who works with children could be so cruel and heartless.

Wtf?! As a teacher I think that's appalling (and unusual)!

I don’t think you’re being OTT at all. Really odd of the teacher, also kind of inappropriate - do they really want the kids unpacking deep trauma for a school essay?? How much adversity is an acceptable level? Bizarre.

Gosh that's incredibly insensitive! Many adults find it difficult to come to terms with pets passing. I'd actually send an email to the English department regarding the comment to be honest. It was really unnecessary and unkind.

That’s a crap thing to say to a kid about heartfelt work and the loss of a loved anything, but especially a pet. (Secondary English teacher). Defo have a word.

That's awful.
I know teachers have it tough, etc etc, and not all are like that etc but that is some really shit teaching there!

I am a teacher, I hope I’d never say that, BUT until I had a dog I had no idea how important they were within a family. I just never thought about them. Now I think about what I’d do without my two now!

That wasn't only unkind, it's absolutely ridiculous. She has done the task she was set. There was no misunderstanding. Hopefully the school will clarify what is meant by "important" because most 14 year olds haven't lived through immense hardship OR wouldn't necessarily want to write about traumatic moments in their private lives. I certainly wouldn't have written a bloody essay for secondary school on my life trauma.

I’m not a teacher but work in a secondary school and can’t imagine any of our teachers being that insensitive.

I think you need to get the teacher's version of events.

It may be that the teacher is an unempathetic person who can't understand that a) the point of writing about something that has had a great effect on you is subjective. English teachers are there to assess the quality of the writing, not whether the feelings expressed are valid or not b) that a dog is just as important to someone as a human might be to others.

That would be so off-piste an attitude to have for an English teacher though, that I'd find out if something had been lost in translation. Were they maybe told to write specifically about a person? Did your daughter get upset and the teacher was cackhandedly trying to make her feel better?

Find out and if it's the first - that they just don't think your daughter's feelings are valid, then they're in the wrong job.

Something lost in translation here. Even a non dog lover knows how doe eyed many owners are over their furbabies.

I teach too. I.can't imagine anyone where I teach saying that. I was wondering is English the teacher's first language? I know when I have used my second language I have not always communicated in the way I thought.

This is horrendous
she should have stuck to commenting on how well the work was structured, how her thoughts were organized, her grammar etc. she was asked to write about something that has affected her and she did!

So sorry for your loss. I have a labrador (still young atm) and can’t imagine being without him.