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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to roll my eyes and sigh heavily at this mistake in my son's school report?

160 replies

Tokamak · 11/07/2012 10:00

Final Parents' Evening of the year last night. DS has done really well in Reception and has exceeded expectations in nearly all areas. This produced a warming glow of paternal pride in the old chest.

He also got a glowing report. However on reading it, I saw this is in the section on social development: "...he is aware of the way his behaviour effects others."

I did think about pointing this out to the teacher, but as she's really nice and DS has done so well and been so happy in her class, I bit my lip. I used to be a primary school teacher myself and am well aware how easy it is to make a typo in reports, so maybe I can give her a pass on that; but if she really doesn't know how to use 'affect' and 'effect' correctly, it's a bit saddening.

O Tempora, O Mores.

OP posts:
AliceHurled · 11/07/2012 10:04

Yes being nice, enabling your child to do well and be really happy, and exceeding your expectations pales into insignificance doesn't it Hmm

jubilucket · 11/07/2012 10:05

Bloody spellcheck... the Head at my dds primary once set geography homework asking for children to find and colour in the Cheque Republic on a map.
At least it was his own report - my non-identical twins had identical subject reports this year in art, which was very Shock

jandymaccomesback · 11/07/2012 10:06

You are probably going to experience a lot more of this as your child goes through school. My friend and I (born in the 1950s and products of Grammar Schools) used to despair at some of the glaring errors our younger colleagues made.

klaritaf · 11/07/2012 10:09

you had better get used to it, be more worried about obvious cut and paste.

Original poster
Tokamak · 11/07/2012 10:10

Yes being nice, enabling your child to do well and be really happy, and exceeding your expectations pales into insignificance doesn't it

No it doesn't. What it god's name are you wittering about?

OP posts:
ohchristFENTON · 11/07/2012 10:12

It's not that bad really is it? I would let it go, honestly.

DS2's (5) teacher said in his report "..I will miss are lovely chats" she also calls him "babes". She is however absolutely lovely with the children and DS2 has blossomed in her care during the school year (he is the youngest in the class) so I wouldn't dream of picking her up on this when she has done her job so well.

jubilucket · 11/07/2012 10:14

I was going to pass you a hard hat but you seem to be handling the flying buns beautifully.
Anyone else got any classic spellcheck howlers?

Original poster
Tokamak · 11/07/2012 10:14

Exactly why I didn't pick her up on it, Fenton.

I would expect a teacher to know the difference between 'our' and 'are' though.

OP posts:
tryingtonotfeckup · 11/07/2012 10:16

As part of my work I used to write reports, I had to be fast, concise and accurate. Whilst my grammer and spelling are pretty good (praying that I don't make a mistake in this post) I did make mistakes. I also had a boss who reviewed them, partly to check for errors but at times I had rewritten it so many times I had lost the "fresh" view of it. I was still good at my job though.

Does it really matter? She has probably written 30 of the things and they are all swimming in front of her eyes.

ohchristFENTON · 11/07/2012 10:16

I know, I know Grin but she is so lovely I can forgive her for it, and he has plenty of time with me badgering him to get these things right.

blinkedandmissedit · 11/07/2012 10:16

My DTs school reports were full of mistakes. However, their teacher is utterly amazing, has helped them improve massively on terms of academic achievement as well as self confidence. She is also massively pregnant and having a hard time, so I really can't bring myself to be bothered. Yes there are some typos, which mostly look like they are due to spellcheck or being massively tired. She has had 30 reports to write, and although in other circumstances, possibly if I wasn't as happy with the teacher, I might be annoyed, I really really can't be.

Your DS has had a good year and done very well, a typo on a school report does not negate that.

Hammy02 · 11/07/2012 10:19

If teachers can't spell/use grammar correctly, no wonder the UK's education standards have slumped compared to the rest of the developed world. 'are' instead of 'our' is outrageous. If they can't write correctly, how the hell are they going to mark pupil's work?

Original poster
Tokamak · 11/07/2012 10:19

Does it really matter? She has probably written 30 of the things and they are all swimming in front of her eyes.

I know - I had to write out reports by hand back in the day, we weren't allowed to type them.

Does it matter? Well, if it's a typo, then no of course not. If it's a basic grammar FAIL from someone trained to teach others, then yes, a bit.

OP posts:
CurrySpice · 11/07/2012 10:21

I think it was more of a stealth boast really, disguised with a bit of pedantry :o

PedanticPanda · 11/07/2012 10:21

The OP hasn't said she's going to write to the head of education or start an aggressive campaign to get the teacher fired, she asked if she'd be unreasonable to roll her eyes at the mistake which no she's nbu to do.

Original poster
Tokamak · 11/07/2012 10:23

Your DS has had a good year and done very well, a typo on a school report does not negate that.

I know, hence the fact I kept schtum.

I did roll my eyes and sigh heavily, but that was at home in the Inner Sanctum Of Grammatical Purity that I recently constructed in my attic, not in front of her.

OP posts:
MulberryMoon · 11/07/2012 10:24

So she accidentally put an e instead of an a at one point in the report. Wow what a shocker! Are you sure you didn't use that as an excuse to start a boast post about your kid's achievements?

Original poster
Tokamak · 11/07/2012 10:24

she asked if she'd be unreasonable to roll her eyes at the mistake which no she's nbu to do.

I'd like to point out at this juncture that sex-chromosome wise, I'm an XY.

Ta.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tokamak · 11/07/2012 10:25

So she accidentally put an e instead of an a at one point in the report. Wow what a shocker!

I already said, twice I believe, that if it was a typo then OK and it's not eyeroll-worthy. If she doesn't know the difference between 'affect' and 'effect', then it I shall raise my eyes to the Seat of Jupiter if I please.

OP posts:
civilfawlty · 11/07/2012 10:26

Wholeheartedly agree with the OP. A typo Is just one of those things. But grammar is a crucial building block and I WISH it was taught properly.

stainesmassif · 11/07/2012 10:29

Ahem 'it I shall'? Wink

SomethingSuitablyWitty · 11/07/2012 10:29

Well panda I think OP is a man from the opening post, but aside from that I agree with you - an eye roll is an acceptable response.

I think it's OK to notice this, but not to hold it against the teacher. I am a bit of a stickler (my only AIBU thread ever was moved to pendants' corner) but I have been known to make mistakes of this type purely through failure to re-read - and more so when typing than when writing by hand.

However, the slightly ostentatious use of the semi-colon in your last sentence and the concluding latin remark make me read this as a little bit of a stealth boast about your own impeccable mastery of the language, hmm? :)

SomethingSuitablyWitty · 11/07/2012 10:30

I wish it were taught properly!!!! Geez, civil

AThingInYourLife · 11/07/2012 10:35

I'm a pedant hater, but I would not be happy if my children were being taught English by someone who didn't know the difference between affect and effect.

Yes, it does matter.

SomethingSuitablyWitty · 11/07/2012 10:35

"Inner Sanctum Of Grammatical Purity" Grin I want one of these too. I'm afraid your son's teacher has blown her chances of ever being admitted though. Have you been to Pendants' Corner OP? You would like it there.