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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:
BobPatandIgglePiggle · 13/09/2014 01:08

Oh and those pearl clutching at the teacher writing 'fetches' - the op clearly stated that she is paraphrasing.

however · 13/09/2014 04:10

I don't think you should leave it.

It wouldn't upset me. But I think those sorts of mistakes should be highlighted so people are more careful next time they're typing the same letter to multiple people.

lordnoobson · 13/09/2014 04:15

Op. You sound a little hysterical. And unable to accept you might be over dramatising a cock up. My experience of educationist to wait to keep your complaints for the lost serious things

lordnoobson · 13/09/2014 04:17

You to teacher "you left Elizabeth's name jn"
Teacher " oh dear I'm sorry"

That'll be it

BringMeTea · 13/09/2014 04:27

Massive overreaction. YABU.

OutragedFromLeeds · 13/09/2014 04:54

No, you should not be annoyed about the letter.

We should all be annoyed about your OP, because you're asking a question you don't want the answer to and that is massively irritating.

Say something if you want or don't. I don't think it will make much difference either way.

The theory that if someone makes a small mistake they're likely to make a big mistake later is flawed. People make small mistakes all the time, it rarely leads to a colossal error down the line.

It's like 'I'm thinking of saying something to my nanny, she forgot to bring DD's bookbag home...it could easily have been DD that she forgot to bring home'! It's just not the same.

YakInAMac · 13/09/2014 05:54

If he was hinting that something inappropriate was going on though, why would he worry about visits to public places.? Surely his worry would be about being home alone, he seems to think it is outings that are some kind of problem.

YakInAMac · 13/09/2014 05:56

Wrong thread.

hairymonkey · 13/09/2014 06:03

I really don't understand why you posted, you're getting in a right tizzy about a letter that the school secretary probably cut and pasted.
Have a word with the teacher or even the head, it sounds like you need to have reassurance about this, though I really don't get why. All the talk of what if regarding more confidential info is not really relavant as that would be written about a specific child.

pippinleaf · 13/09/2014 06:53

I'd be really disappointed if I was arranging for extra help for your child and your first response was a moan about a little error. If the teacher moaned to you every time you sent your child in without her homework / without a name written in all her clothes / with a cold that infected the teacher / you child pukes and your teacher cleans it up / your child is upset by something and the teacher comforts them instead of teaching the class etc.

Wind your neck in. It's not private info( the children will all know who is lucky enough to go out with Tanya)

FindoGask · 13/09/2014 07:02

I would see this as being a minor error that wouldn't bother me at all. I know how easy it is to make clerical mistakes like these when you're busy, and whilst obviously they're unfortunate, no harm was done here; I doubt I'd even mention it.

Mrsstarlord · 13/09/2014 07:52

YABVU

I can't even get my own kids names right after a busy day. Mistakes happen, your dd told you that Elizabeth also gets reading support so confidentiality is hardly the issue - sounds like you just want an opportunity to make the teacher feel bad.

LostTeacher · 13/09/2014 08:07

I am a ks1 teacher.

I could easily imagine making this mistake.

I could well imagine a situation like this: somebody higher up than her comes into the class at 2.50 pm and tells her that she needs to write up that letter (and print, photocopy and distribute it to the other classes in her year group) and send it home today...

Before home time at 3.10. She has 25 expectant children sitting on the carpet waiting for a story, 2 others being silly in the corridor where they are getting their coats, 1 child crying because they can't find their water bottle, 1 child trying to give her a letter/ homework/ reading book that she's just seen in her bookbag that was meant to be handed in this morning, and then there's Elizabeth who just so happens to ask her what time home time is just as she is in the middle of writing the letter.

The teacher would have loved to have put on Alphablocks for ten minutes to occupy the children, but parents complain and plus the Head Teacher is walking around checking that this time is used only for whole class reading and not watching something on the IWB.
She made a mistake as she was multitasking.

She could have ignored the instruction but then would have had parents complaining the next day because they were promised this letter today (by somebody else in the school who doesn't have any classroom responsibilities).

LostTeacher · 13/09/2014 08:11

Oh and in my situation above...

The TA isn't around as she's looking after the child with SEN who has just soiled herself. There is a 1:1 LSA for said child but she is only funded for 12.5 hours a week and so every afternoon the 29 other children have to go without TA support.

This would describe a typical day for me.

Veritata · 13/09/2014 08:15

Did she actually write "she fetches home"? Because if so that isn't excusable by being tired and is a matter for concern.

PenelopePitstops · 13/09/2014 08:19

OP you would hate me. I rang a parent yesterday, used the wrong name for their child then said I was from a different school (new job!). Parent was thankfully lovely about it even if I did sound a bit crazy.

thegreylady · 13/09/2014 08:22

Mention it if you must but it is so minor and excusable I don't feel it merits a thread at all, maybe a comment on Primary Education. This administrative error harms no one. Teacher is sending out letters, her list includes Smallwinni, Elizabeth, Harold and John. As she writes one letter her brain has moved on to the next one so she inadvertently types in the name of the next child.

FamiliesShareGerms · 13/09/2014 08:22

OP, I'd mention it to the teacher but in passing rather than making a big deal about it.

Those of you pointing out how tough the teacher has it and how easily mistakes happen - would you say the same if they were sending home letters about a CAMH referral or something similarly sensitive?

BobPatandIgglePiggle · 13/09/2014 08:30

veri like I said the op was paraphrasing couldn't be arsed to type the note out

HappydaysArehere · 13/09/2014 08:32

Just be pleased about the extra reading. Did she really use "fetches" or is that a slip you made when giving us the gist of the letter?

cansu · 13/09/2014 08:35

It really isn't a sensitive issue for most people but it clearly is for you hence why you are over reacting. Say something of you must but try to reign yourself in a bit. It really is just a mistake and not worth getting in a tizz over.

Mrsstarlord · 13/09/2014 08:39

That'd be a one off letter done by a secretary in peace and quiet.

We have had a report with a whole page relating to another child before, simple
Me: just wanted to mention this, I know mistakes happen but I don't think it's about ds
Teacher: oh my goodness I'm so sorry
Me: it's fine
Teacher: I'll get you the full one by tomorrow
Me: thanks, I'll leave you this one so you can get rid of it
Teacher: thank you for letting us know
Me: no problem at all, it's hard when you are writing 30 odd reports on top of the day job isn't it

Mrsstarlord · 13/09/2014 08:40

Cansu I think you have hit the nail on the head

Pipbin · 13/09/2014 08:41

Most teachers are on around £35,000 p/a. For that sort of money they can get a name on a letter right - sorry.

Sorry but that kind of money sadly does not buy you extra hours in the day or extra arms and legs. As said above this was most likely a case of the teacher having to quickly type up the letter while doing other things. Most likely she copied and pasted it and forgot to change the name at the bottom of the letter.

In my opinion it is inexcusable in school reports, where I have seen it happen, but a letter like this is a simple error.

It's also worth considering that there are most likely 5 or so children getting this extra support. In the case of something medical or more serious your child would be the only one so a mix up like this would be less likely.

Mention it by all means but a fail to see what you gain from it.

MrsHerculePoirot · 13/09/2014 08:43

Write to the daily mail. This is an absolute SHOCKER.