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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to get annoyed when a home schooling parent...

278 replies

00100001 · 29/09/2016 10:13

... can't spell?

My SIL home schools her daughter.

But all the time, she is posting "I just thort of a new idea..." or "We just need to get threw this..." or ^"I love home schoolling" etc.

Just makes me twitch.

OP posts:
CommunionHelp · 20/01/2017 20:41

I know quite a few home educators, and their kids are bright and enjoy learning. They seem to go to loads of different groups most days, mixed in with their learning. The ones I know also go to sports clubs, Brownies etc. and have completely normal lives except their learning is home based.

I think generalising about home ed is as ridiculous as saying 'all schools are great!' There are some lazy educators and brilliant ones, both in and out of the school classroom.

Andrewofgg · 20/01/2017 21:00

I value education and I value health and I rely on professionals for both.

witsender · 20/01/2017 21:17

This is a few months old now, I thought it looked familiar.

Stormyseasallround · 20/01/2017 21:34

Not my experience at all. My training as an English teacher involved lots of subject knowledge. Are you speaking from experience or assumption?

WalkingCarpet · 20/01/2017 22:12

I was home educated and am an excellent speller. It was, however, crap for socialisation, and when I went to University I had very little experience with talking and relating to my peers, which sucked.

brasty · 20/01/2017 23:22

I read someone criticising a headteacher for saying youse. I assume they are Scottish., This is scottish dialect. I am sure the headteacher still knows how to spell properly.

garlicandsapphire · 20/01/2017 23:30

I don't think you'll get anywhere critiquing the teaching.

But just for the record, as the Mum of a marginally dyslexic child, I still think being able to spell words properly matters - otherwise however clever you are, you might not be able to express your elevated thoughts accurately..So no one will ever know.

But be careful critiquing - I'd leave it to others...

calimommy · 20/01/2017 23:45

Be annoyed all you want. But there is nothing you can do about it so it's a waste of emotion. I agree though. I deeply value spelling and admittedly I do judge people who misspell or misuse words (taught vs THOUght) but I'm fairly open otherwise, and I'm certainly not perfect. Its probably because it's so easy to spell correctly these days, there's spell check and autocorrect on almost everything, that I think, 'how did you get it wrong??'

insan1tyscartching · 21/01/2017 00:19

cory ds has never read despite being brought up ina house full of books and me being an avid reader. He liked school to meet with his mates, have a game of football and annoy his teachers learning was just an inconvenience to him. He stayed in school until the end of sixth form and did really well considering he put in zero effort and minimal attendance but it helps that he has a phenomenal memory.
He couldn't wait to leave and at 18 he got an admin job in Local Government. He found his forte and they soon recognised his worth. Nine years later he has a degree and a Masters that they fully funded and that he did on day release (they are currently funding another degree level professional qualification) and he's part of the senior management team and tipped to be the director in five or six years (it's how it works there, progression paths are signposted and a badly kept secret)
School doesn't necessarily suit everyone, ds would say he had the time of his life at school regardless of the fact every day was probably an ordeal for his teachers who had a bright boy who was determined not to make any effort.

IMissGrannyW · 21/01/2017 00:20

Does this count as a zombie thread?

WaitrosePigeon · 21/01/2017 00:22

It's zombie territory....

windypolar · 21/01/2017 00:51

I don't disagree with you, OP. I also feel the same way about teachers who can't spell or have poor qualifications.

windypolar · 21/01/2017 00:52

Zombie thread!

Italiangreyhound · 21/01/2017 01:29

00100001 I guess it depends why your SIL home educates. Maybe her daughter will end up with a fabulous education. My dd goes to a regular state school. Her secondary school is doing brilliantly with her. But it has made her realise just how shit her primarily school was for her!

witsender "People on here are speaking as if school is the default, and families need to be 'allowed' to opt out. Which absolutely isn't the case. Schools are there as an option for those who wish to use them. No-one has to ask permission not to, and nor should they." Totally agree.

user1484226561 · 21/01/2017 01:38

I don't disagree with you, OP. I also feel the same way about teachers who can't spell or have poor qualifications.

wht a lot of people fail to realise is that teaching has an negative impact on your spelling. Spellings are learnt by seeing the correct spelling in use repeatedly. Teachers see incorrect spelling all day every day, and neurologically "unlearn" them over time, this can be more or less inevitable, in some individuals,

as to poor qualifications, firstly, that is no indication of someone's ability to teach t all, in fact being well qualified is often an indication of being a weaker teacher.

secondly, if you are in the UK and you DC have permanent full time teachers, you should be on your knees thanking God and praying they don't walk out, no matter what their spelling ability or qualifications are. There is 50% shortfall now, in some areas, in some subjects! 50%!!

Italiangreyhound · 21/01/2017 01:53

Dowser your grand kids sound amazing.

stitchglitched sounds like you are doing a great job.

Cagliostro · 21/01/2017 02:03

zombie but an interesting thread :)

windypolar · 21/01/2017 13:36

Absolute nonsense, user148 Grin

ImperialBlether · 21/01/2017 13:43

User: Teachers see incorrect spelling all day every day, and neurologically "unlearn" them over time

That is utter crap. I was teaching for decades and saw plenty of errors. Rather than "unlearning" them, I would mentally correct each one. All of my teacher friends say the same.

SisterMoonshine · 21/01/2017 13:49

Yanbu
Several people upthread have said about looking up words when they are unsure etc. But you have to have be in doubt

SisterMoonshine · 21/01/2017 13:52

Sorry - be in doubt first. Mostly they might be confidently thinking they are right (is it the Dunning Kruger effect) you don't know you don't know and happily write 'thort'

ImperialBlether · 21/01/2017 14:11

In what world is 'thort' a word, though? That is just ignorance.

Eolian · 21/01/2017 14:16

I'm a teacher with 20 years' experience (mostly secondary, a bit of primary and some private tutoring) and I wouldn't consider myself able to home ed. I find it baffling that so many people do it tbh.

BertrandRussell · 21/01/2017 14:24

First time I've ever seen a thread bashing teachers AND home educators at the same time!

windypolar · 21/01/2017 14:24

Why do you find it baffling that others manage to do something that you cannot? Hmm
I'm still laughing at the idea of "unlearning" imperial