to think that these kinds of comments are at best unhelpful (school--related)

[pippiLS]

So things like:

'Presentation has let you down.'

and

'Basic writing errors are letting you down.'

DS is in Y5 and we are off to see his two form teachers today. Related thread here.

I'm starting to feel like they could be doing more to help DS to achieve his potential. He is a hard working boy who wants to do well but possibly needs more guidance from his teachers.

AIBU in thinking that the above comments (taken from DS's literacy book) are not going to help him much. Should I mention this to his teachers today?

BarbarianMum it makes me feel better to know it's not just me.

Miawo at your reminiscing. I don't think DS is bone idle although I suspect your parents didn't think you were either.

It must have taken you ages to mark the students' work. Would you mark one piece per half term in that much detail? Or every piece?

Thank you so much everyone for sharing your thoughts, I feel better prepared for the meeting. Wish me luck.

I think you have uncovered the root of the problem:

Your DS likes Maths as he achieves and succeeds in it! He obviously likes the teacher and the teacher makes him want to do better because he likes succeeding and being praised.

Your DS does not like Literacy because it is probably taught ineffectively, the lessons are dry and he gets nagged. As Miaow says, it is easy to get away with the bare minimum.

Explain that he is working hard in Maths so he is capable!

Miaow - are you my DS1?

This is a really useful thread - will have to ask DS what sort of feedback he gets on his work at school.

Ah but he loves literacy too and will happily write stories and do creative writing from prompts in his spare time. He also does drama so learns and performs huge chunks of text (Shakespeare) and he enjoys reading.

To be fair to the teacher she has done some interesting work (earlier in the term) although a lot of the more recent work has been project based (linked to their residential trip) which he likes less. The school sent home a letter to parents asking for their cooperation with this project-based work .

I agree with Chocolate. You are not being unreasonable because they are poor marking comments by an old-fashioned (one may say lazy) teacher.

They should be phrased along the lines of "Next time, please try to write neater / write up to the margin on the left / leave space between words" etc. Marking comments should support and indicate next steps not chastise. I have been teaching and marking for 8 years and i don't know what basic writing errors are because it is too general and unhelpful.

So yes, bring it up today and explain the these comments aren't helping move his learning forward. Marking doesn't need to be extensive or onerous. A few specific, personalised targets / suggestions / next steps are far more productive than a page covered in red pen.