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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should I be annoyed about this letter from DDs teacher?

156 replies

MrsWinnibago · 12/09/2014 22:11

DD is in year 2...she's been having extra help for reading since year 1. we discovered she needed glasses at the start of year one and so had lost most of reception due to not seeing well at all.

So the extra help has been great and she's making progress.

I got a letter tonight, typed something like this

"Dear parent, SmallWinni is going to be having some extra reading practice with a volunteer named Tanya. She will cover x and y and z and the books will be different to the ones she fetches home. We hope that Elizabeth enjoys her extra reading time."

Confused

"Elizabeth" is actually a friend of my DDs so I assume she is also benefiting from the kind volunteer's time. But....isn't it a bit crap to make mistakes like this? For all the teacher knows, I don't want other parents knowing my DD has/needs extra help...and Elizabeth's mum might feel that way too.

As it happens I'm not ashamed of DD needing extra help so if the other child's letter includes my DDs name I don't mind but the letter COULD have had very personal info in it!

Shall I say something and what?

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsWinnibago · 12/09/2014 22:13

Oh and this is on top of a sheet of paper which came home yesterday with some words on it...typed and the added instructions "Read in Fred Talk" (Pure Sounds)

Which means feck all to me.

I'll have to ask what it means before I can use it to help DD!

OP posts:
itsmeitscathy · 12/09/2014 22:13

Mistakes happen, point it out if you must, but is it really such a big deal? Perhaps the teacher got a bit muddled as they're friends and she associated them together?

Notacs · 12/09/2014 22:14

Yanbu to be annoyed but honestly it's just so easily done, I've occasionally done it myself or similar things at any rate Blush

Bulbasaur · 12/09/2014 22:14

They wrote a letter at the end of the day and overlooked a part to edit. Happens to the best of us.

I would bring it up so they're aware they are violating another child's privacy though.

Nicknacky · 12/09/2014 22:14

So has she just accidentally written another child's name in the letter? That's very easily done.

Maybe she had been dealing with something else prior to writing it and "Elizabeth" was still in her mind?

Notacs · 12/09/2014 22:15

In fairness cathy the teacher really shouldn't be getting muddled. My DS is called Edward and there is an Edmund in the class and the teacher last year sometimes got them muddled which did annoy me a bit to be honest. As a one off though I wouldn't say anything but I would if it happened again.

hollie84 · 12/09/2014 22:15

What will you say to the teacher - "excuse me, but you made a mistake". Sometimes people do make mistakes.

"Read in Fred Talk" - does your DD know what it means?

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 12/09/2014 22:16

It sounds like what I call a brain fart - I have them all the time.

teachermummy2b · 12/09/2014 22:17

I would definitely mention it - although im sure it won't have been deliberate they should know that children have taken letters home meabt for someone else.

As for fred talk, that just means making the pure sound, so if it was m for example, ypu would say mmmmm, instead of 'em' or 'muh'. HTH

Original poster
MrsWinnibago · 12/09/2014 22:17

Hollie no she doesn't.

I know mistakes happen but this is a child's privacy. What if it mentioned something more personal? I don't think there's ROOM for mistakes like this when it comes to children's privacy.

There are some children with very personal issues regarding toileting or special needs...and letters like this which are one-offs shouldn't be hard to get right.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsWinnibago · 12/09/2014 22:18

Teachers it wasn't meant for anyone else...it was meant for DD...I assume her friend also has a letter.

OP posts:
hollie84 · 12/09/2014 22:19

Is extra reading practice really a big privacy issue? Sorry, but that seems a bit hysterical to me.

The teacher made a minor mistake, and no harm came of it.

Nicknacky · 12/09/2014 22:19

You are assuming there is a letter for the other girl but there might not be. It's very possibly a written slip of the tongue.

Original poster
MrsWinnibago · 12/09/2014 22:20

hollie it's not for me...but it might be for someone else. And if this error happens in the second week...what about other, more private stuff which could be shared in a similar way later on?

OP posts:
itsmeitscathy · 12/09/2014 22:20

But you don't know that it has breached her privacy, do you Confused you're assuming it has.

Original poster
MrsWinnibago · 12/09/2014 22:21

Nicky no I'm not. DD told me "Elizabeth" is also seeing "Tanya" they met her today.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsWinnibago · 12/09/2014 22:22

Cathy It's not the privacy in THIS instance I'm bothered about. I think it shows a laxness which could manifest in a more serious way. So I think I will say something to the teacher. Politely. So she's more aware.

OP posts:
TeaAndALemonTart · 12/09/2014 22:22

Fetches home? She's not teaching her English is she?

itsmeitscathy · 12/09/2014 22:23

So where does the rest of the class think they're going when they go for extra reading? It's hardly a state secret.

Drop it into conversation with the teacher if you must, but it isn't worth making a big deal over.

noblegiraffe · 12/09/2014 22:24

Teachers in being human shocker.

Bulbasaur · 12/09/2014 22:24

I'd bring it up. What if next time it's about a medical or bullying issue?

You want to keep a child's problems within the family, and let them decide who knows.

What if next time it goes to the school gossip? It's just a headache that can easily be avoided by politely reminding the teacher to proof read a bit better before printing a notice.

Original poster
MrsWinnibago · 12/09/2014 22:24

Lemon Lol! She is I assume!

Cathy I don't know or care! I only care that when a teacher is sending letters home about a child's work or progress, they should not get their names wrong!

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 12/09/2014 22:25

So speak to the teacher and make her aware but I do think you are worrying about this far more than you need to.

I have called people the wrong name at work, it's easily done when you deal with a lot of people each day.

Original poster
MrsWinnibago · 12/09/2014 22:25

Bulb Exactly.

Noble nobody said they weren't human but they're dealing with children's private and sometimes sensitive issues. How hard is it to get a name right?

OP posts:
KatharineClover · 12/09/2014 22:27

If you search 'read write inc FRED talk' there are some videos that demonstrate it - Read Write Inc is the programme of teaching they are using at your DD's school. HTH :)