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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect better grammar in a homework book

35 replies

WishITookLifeSeriously · 20/10/2015 20:00

I am prepared to be told I'm unreasonable but I'd like to know if IWBU to write a note in Dd's homework book this week. She had a comment in her book to say that her work "would of been better" if she'd made particular adjustments.
I don't know if it is unreasonable to expect whoever marked the book to know that it would have been better.
This is the first comment dd has had in her homework for this whole half term, she usually just gets a tick. So I don't know if that has wound me up or the fact that the children (y3 btw) don't get merits for homework anymore as it is an expectation not something that needs rewarding.
don't get me started

OP posts:
LaceyLee · 20/10/2015 20:03

Would 'of' is imo. You should point it out. I think merits should also be available

MrsHathaway · 20/10/2015 20:08

Could be worse. In Y1 we had a homework teaching the children to make plurals with apostrophes.

I don't think I'd bring it up but I might correct it. Not red pen, just discreet pencil or something.

LaceyLee · 20/10/2015 20:14

Terrible imo Hmm

Original poster
WishITookLifeSeriously · 20/10/2015 20:16

I don't know if my problem is that dd has worked hard to produce lovely pieces of homework that have not really been looked at except for a quick tick and the first time se receives a comment it's fairly negative and grammatically incorrect!
I'm not expecting a comment every time, I know how busy teachers are, I teach secondary.

OP posts:
PHANTOMnamechanger · 20/10/2015 20:21

I'd certainly want to know who had been marking the homework - at our school it is often the TAs and some of them are hopeless and confuse your/you're and fewer/less ALL THE BLOODY TIME.

It's wrong. I would have to mention it.

PHANTOMnamechanger · 20/10/2015 20:22

Ah - another possibility -are you sure it is an adult's writing? Only sometimes they do peer reviews, and try to give each other a positive comment and a suggestion for improvement.

PHANTOMnamechanger · 20/10/2015 20:23

Ah - another possibility -are you sure it is an adult's writing? Only sometimes they do peer reviews, and try to give each other a positive comment and a suggestion for improvement.

WorraLiberty · 20/10/2015 20:23

I think a lot of Primary schools have stepped away from giving merits for homework, because of the over involvement/under involvement of a lot of parents.

I've heard parents complain that they're too busy to put in as much time as other parents, and they're fed up of kids getting merits for what is mostly their parent's work.

I'm not sure I'd point out the grammatical error though, unless it happens again.

PHANTOMnamechanger · 20/10/2015 20:24

oops Blush

PHANTOMnamechanger · 20/10/2015 20:25

oops Blush

thecatfromjapan · 20/10/2015 20:28

Don't blame the TA! I was a TA and often had to politely draw the teacher's attention to some quite individual approaches to grammar and spelling.
Personally, I'd tell my child it's incorrect and leave it at that. In all seriousness, you're not likely to be able to correct that sort of an error in an adult unless they are actually engaged in trying to learn. You may, however, embarrass them - and adults are sometimes quite unpredictable when embarrassed.

Naicehamshop · 20/10/2015 20:30

Thanks for those comments about TAs PHANTOM - I am a TA and have a degree in English; in fact I often notice that the teachers at the school I work in have far worse grammar and spelling than I do. Don't be so bloody dismissive and rude.

Naicehamshop · 20/10/2015 20:32

I would definitely mention the "would of". It's about time this teacher learnt to write properly.

echt · 20/10/2015 20:33

Approach the teacher about this. It's not OK to make such a fundamental error, not like typo, for instance. This person actually doesn't know something they should know.

As for not embarrassing them, as long as you do this in private and don't involve your DD at all, all embarrassment is their problem.

echt · 20/10/2015 20:34

A typo. See what I did there? :o Blush

thecatfromjapan · 20/10/2015 20:37

Oh, all TAs are thick, naiceham. Smile Two of the TAs in my last school had degrees from Cambridge and one had a PhD - but on MN we're always busying away, making all the mistakes in marking/commenting.

Original poster
WishITookLifeSeriously · 20/10/2015 20:38

That makes sense Worra. However my dd bloody deserves her merits as I am one of those that is too busy!
DD sad the TA marked them. I do not want to embarrass or anger anyone. I just don't understand how useful someone can be in a classroom without knowing more than the pupils!

OP posts:
Naicehamshop · 20/10/2015 20:43

In that case point it out - politely - to the teacher. He/she ought to know if mistakes like that are being made by a member of staff, but - as thecat said - please don't assume that all TAs are thick!!

queenoftheworld93 · 20/10/2015 20:44

Another TA here with a degree... and a year of teacher training too. If I were you I'd make sure your daughter knows it's incorrect but wouldn't correct her homework book. The TA is wrong but that would be very embarrassing and unlikely to change how they write.

Naicehamshop · 20/10/2015 20:48

I don't agree queen - of course it would be embarrassing, but if you make a mistake like that you have to face up to criticism. If I made a mistake and someone pointed it out, I'd make very sure that I didn't do it again!

Original poster
WishITookLifeSeriously · 20/10/2015 20:57

I seriously wouldn't call anyone thick. I do think people should know their limitations though. I could never apply for a job in catering for example!
This TA is used a lot for PE which is great. Maybe his/her strengths do not lie in the classroom!

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 20/10/2015 20:59

To be fair to Phantom, she only said in her school it's 'often' the TAs, and 'some' of them are hopeless.

If that's her personal experience, other TAs having degrees etc isn't going to change it.

I've had limited experiences but with 3 TAs, 1 teacher ( English was not her first language ) and 1 admin staff.

WorraLiberty · 20/10/2015 21:02

I remember when my DS3 was in year 2.

He came out with a worksheet about his favourite toy.

One of the questions was, "How old was you when you got this toy?"

The HT breezed past and I stopped and showed it to her.

Blimey, I thought she was going to shit a kidney in anger Grin

thecatfromjapan · 20/10/2015 21:03

Or perhaps your child's teacher doesn't value homework enough to have it marked by someone whose area of competency is grammar, not PE/pastoral care/admin.?

queenoftheworld93 · 20/10/2015 21:04

Yeah, actually if a parent spoke to me about my grammar I'd be mortified but certainly try to change. So you wouldn't be unreasonable to point it out OP. I just don't think correcting in the child's book is the right way to do it.

On the other hand, I think all adults will have a few gaps here and there, even teachers/TAs. My previous teachers all have yet somehow I've turned out alright. No adult is perfect!