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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not point this out to dd's teacher?

80 replies

LiegeAndLief · 15/02/2014 16:23

Dd in reception. They have been learning about their bodies and a big poster has gone up on the wall about eyes. It says "Eye's have.... Eyelashes, eyebrows etc" and "Eye's can... Blink, cry etc".

I am a major apostrophe pedant and it makes me cringe every time I look at it. On the other hand, dd is just starting to read and has no idea what an apostrophe is, never mind how you should use it, and I think me mentioning it to the teacher might be very twattish.

The teacher is great and very experienced, ds was also in her class and I have never spotted a mistake like this before. They've had a couple of supply teachers recently so I'm hoping one of them did it and the teacher hates it as much as I do but doesn't want to go to the effort of changing the poster!

OP posts:
NewtRipley · 15/02/2014 16:45

nomama

I love commas, there are not used nearly enough

mindthegap01 · 15/02/2014 16:49

I'm a teacher. Please tell her! This kind of thing drives me mad. Children see things printed on signs and assume they must be correct. My class have an ongoing mission to name and shame apostrophe misusers and bring in photos of apostrophe misuse whenever they see it! I'm not weird. If I'm teaching punctuation and grammar, then I'm taking it seriously. Nervously proof reads post...

NewtRipley · 15/02/2014 16:52

mind

yep. There's a typo in my last post Grin

Nomama · 15/02/2014 16:52

At risk of outing another of my online personas....

I carry Post Its and I use them - everywhere!

zeeboo · 15/02/2014 17:03

It may well not have been the teacher but a TA or helper. The teacher just may not have noticed it yet. I'd point it out as I'd be really cross that someone teaching children could make a mistake like that.

Joysmum · 15/02/2014 17:11

I'm not a fan of the grammar police, in fact I loathe online Hitlers.

This is different though, this is a learning g situation and this teacher needs to be told. If you feel uncomfortable about it, as I would, then send an anonymous letter to the school but make sure it's not bitchy, just shows concern for the children's learning and the impression it gives of the school.

LaQueenOfHearts · 15/02/2014 17:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thegreylady · 15/02/2014 17:13

I think you have to point it out but I would do it anonymously Grin

simpson · 15/02/2014 17:16

Apparently it's called an inverted comma now Hmm

That would drive me up the wall though, surely a teacher would know this?!

Nomama · 15/02/2014 17:18

If it was my room I'd blush and change it. I wouldn't resent the person who told me... I'd be too busy wondering how many other people had seen it and doubted my sanity!

Just tell her. Laugh and say it made you stop and think about the apostrophe police...

LaQueenOfHearts · 15/02/2014 17:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nomama · 15/02/2014 17:19

Psst Ripley... I think you got away with it Smile

mymatemax · 15/02/2014 17:21

just go in with the tippex and correct it yourself :)

Pipbin · 15/02/2014 17:24

Simpson. I've never heard them called an inverted comma. I understand that to be singular speech marks, 'like this'.

Procrastreation · 15/02/2014 17:24

The HT at my DSs school can't use paragraphs.

I had thought it was weird typesetting on the school newsletter - but standard form letters are just the same - they look like they were cut and pasted from a load of other letters - indents, no indents, capitals and orphaned one line 'paragraphs' completely random. It's a bit weird - tbh. I presume that she is literate - so it comes across as 'written at 3am' - which may in fact be the case!

sparklyma · 15/02/2014 17:29

Apostrophes aren't the same thing as inverted commas.

Nomama · 15/02/2014 17:30

Pipbin, that would be my understanding too.

As for paragraphs, puhlease. A single sentence does not a paragraph make. I often have misgivings posting on forums when, for clarity, I type an orphan sentence. But in a formal letter everyone should get that right.

It's not as though Google would not be your friend and actually refuse to show you the right way to do it!

simpson · 15/02/2014 17:53

Didn't think they were the same either Blush

An inverted comma is used for quotations etc. I was told by a teacher friend of mine that this had changed for the new curriculum however, have checked it out and I can't find anything anywhere to suggest this is the case, so ignore me! Grin

Still bloody shocking of the teacher though.

sadbodyblue · 15/02/2014 17:54

yes do it anonymously. put it in a post it and stick it to her door.

if this was midsommer murders she would be found dead with the post it stuck to her head or you would be found dead with the laminated sign in your hand.

Grin
NearlySchoolTime · 15/02/2014 18:03

Is it typed? Can you refer to it as a typo? I always think that helps people save face.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 15/02/2014 18:16

I'd tell her.

I'm a teacher, I would not be offended if I had made a mistake like this, I'd be glad that someone pointed it out before the inspectors noticed!

Tabliope · 15/02/2014 18:22

Couldn't you sneak in with a red pen and cross the apostrophe out?

Supercosy · 15/02/2014 18:23

I think you should tell her. I'm a teacher and have been very happy when parents have spotted the odd mistake in my communications. Only twice in 14 years (once typed pubic instead of public twice in a newsletter! ) so not too bad! My HT would be livid if I misused apostrophes! She is the most reasonable, lovely person but she does serious nostril flaring over apostrophes!

HumphreyCobbler · 15/02/2014 18:24

I think you should say something. I am the first to defend the odd typo, but a misplaced apostrophe is just embarrassing. The teacher should know better.

This kind of thing leaves the rest of us open to ridicule.

NewtRipley · 15/02/2014 18:46

The trouble is, with this mistake, it's not a typo; it's a pretty basic grammatical error. And that is a bit embarrassing for an educator.