To think it's not necessarily rude to correct the teacher?

[cherrycrumblecustard]

DS is nearly ten, he's always been well behaved for the most part and very polite. But lately he has had a bit of an edge to him. He's told me today he's been told off and had to lose his break for correcting the teachers spelling. I know it depends on how he did it. From what he's said he wasn't that rude but is it the correcting that's rude, full stop?

[januarybooze]

Why are teaching assistants more likely to make a spelling error?

[CaraAspen]

"Rixera

I had that happen to me once. I knew the other students would copy the word down wrong so thought it best to say something as she hadn't noticed.

She hated me for the rest of my time in school.

I don't care, as I know she envied me."

She envied you why? Presumably not because you use adverbs correctly...

[Eolian]

Not necessarily rude. I'm an mfl teacher and was always very sharp on grammar and spelling. I remember correcting my primary school teacher's spelling occasionally. Dd has done it too. Some teachers will take it well as long as it's not done rudely. Others will react less well because they are embarrassed. Your ds will learn which teachers he can correct . Losing his break is unfair if he did it politely.

[albertcamus]

I haven't RTFT, but I would politely ask the teacher to explain what he'd actually said & why it was classed as 'rude'. Having worked as a secondary teacher & HOD, one of my worst experiences was running a Department in which a teacher who was atrocious at the subject she was teaching (French); when any student queried or challenged her (frequently incorrect) spelling and/or grammar, she would punish them severely and then victimise them.

[Noodledoodledoo]

As others have said it might have been the last thing in a long line of things, if his 'tone' has been carrying over into school as well. The teacher may have had enough of the comments perhaps and he had already been warned today.

I am also a secondary teacher, not English, and have certain words that if I stop to think about them I can't spell when writing on the board - can spell them when writing them down, typing them etc, just my mind goes blank when at the board!! I joke about it to the students, check with them I have it right, or ask them depending on how blank my mind has gone.

I have students who would politely call out (as I am writing on the board unlikely to see a hand up) and point out a mistake, or you get a 'murmur' going around the class which normally means I have made a mistake, the ones that will irritate is when you have the student who loves to undermine you shout out in a rude manner about the mistake you have just made - and repeatedly goes on about it for the rest of the lesson!

[Keeptrudging]

I sometimes miss letters (writing too fast/distracted). My spelling is generally excellent (English degree). I give my pupils a (mock) row for not noticing/correcting me. I think it's healthy for them to spot mistakes, and to see that adults make them too. However, I would be cross if they were rolling about the floor calling me a f'ing idiot!

[Rixera]

Cara aspen- she was incapable of original thought.
I know my grammar is certainly not perfect when writing informally (online forums and all, I cba to proofread a loosely spammed out post written when running the baby's bath for eg) but I would come up with original interpretations of poetry/prose for mock exams or essays and she'd then steal my ideas to present to the class.
Literally reading it over my shoulder, then going up to the front and presenting it qs her idea moments later.

She'd also test me on random words, particularly archaic ones she thought I wouldn't know. Then she'd very visibly seethe when I defined them correctly.

[CaraAspen]

Ah. She sounds bonkers.
Sorry I was nippy.

[RainyDayBear]

Totally depends on the context. Last week a child pointed out that I'd spelled a scientific word two different ways on the same slide on the PowerPoint. I said oops, well spotted, let me correct it - sorry if you've already written it. However If it was pointed out in a rude way I'd not have been quite so nice!

[cansu]

Probably tone and when he chose to say it. Sometimes kids spot something then stop listening because they desperately want to tell you your mistake. This can lead to an unnecessary interruption. There is also tone. I think as you get more experienced you deal with this better. I usually just say oops well spotted and move on straight away. Of course sometimes the kids are wrong which is a bit amusing but again I don't make a big deal about it.

[Middleoftheroad]

He's a child. He speaks honestly and without agenda and has spotted an incorrect spelling - something children are taught to correct. That would be my normal reaction to this if it done politely.

But if it was done in any other way then I can see why it would irk the teacher.

[TalkingofMichaelAngel0]

My year 8s are making a game of spotting spelling mistakes on the powerpoints Atm. And worse, Could of. Winds me up too. But they know it is not me so ive told them it must be intentional and reward them with merits

[cantkeepawayforever]

On TAs - my TA is a very valuable resource in terms of spelling. If i have a mental blank when writing on the board, I'll ask her 'x or y?'. Usually, she comes up with the goods, occasionally she looks it up in the dictionary for me. It's a useful modelling of the 'ask a friend, then use a resource' process for self-help we would advocate for any spelling ta child's not sure of.

She's as well educated as me, and incidentally also has a PGCE.

[cherrycrumblecustard]

DH is ringing today asking to speak to the teacher so we'll see

[Whatsername17]

I'm a teacher. I'm also dyslexic - mildly but I struggle with sequencing so there are certain words that I really struggle with, numbers are even worse. Anyway, I had to teach Year 7 English to one class in my first few years of teaching (not my main subject). Telling the kids they could challenge me on any spelling I wrote in their books or on the board, and rewarding them when they were right and I was wrong, was both motivating for the pupils and spared my blushes. For marking books I'd often print comments on stickers and stick them into books so I could use spell check. I agree, the way the pupil approaches correcting the teacher is important but the best learners are not passive. Pupils should be challenging us in order to draw their own conclusions. You should see how excited the kids get if I ever have to cover a maths lesson. With ks3 kids I always flip the lesson and get them to explain the maths problem to me (mostly because I genuinely can't do the more complex stuff). Kids because excited when they get to teach the teacher. I think that is a good thing.

[Rainmaker1]

I'd raise hell. Sounds like this fucker needs firmly putting back in her place.

[ailPartout]

As a teacher*, there are times I've given house points for spotting it and times I've told a student not to be rude. It absolutely depends on how it was said, as more posters have agreed.

My spelling is embarassing ( ). With younger children especially, it gives me a great opportunity to have a quick discussion about doing your best and being happy with your effort.


crumbs
I made the teacher squirm and correct the spelling in the book. Much more effective than an angry battle.

Yep. We've a word for parents like you. It's usually by parent who forget that teachers are educated to a minimum of a higher second class degree and a post grad.

I realise this teacher was an idiot but 1) you sunk to her level 2) I'm not sure what lesson you taught your child by allowing the teacher to be 'right'.



*I hate reading that

[MrsDustyBusty]

DH is ringing today asking to speak to the teacher so we'll see

Oh dear. I can't imagine that's going to improve the situation.

I'd raise hell. Sounds like this fucker needs firmly putting back in her place.

I'm really shocked. This is a bizarre overreaction to a situation that is at most, nothing.

[ailPartout]

MrsDustyBusty

I'm really shocked. This is a bizarre overreaction to a situation that is at most, nothing.

Are you new around here? Par for the course!

[Rainmaker1]

It's usually by parent who forget that teachers are educated to a minimum of a higher second class degree and a post grad

All that proves is that some universities have particularly low standards!

[Eolian]

I'm an mfl teacher and correct grammar and spelling mistakes for a living, but I do think some of the responses on here are extreme.

Not all teachers have perfect spelling. Mistakes will be made. It's hard enough to employ enough decent teachers as it is. If you were to only employ those who never make spelling mistakes, you'd have a serious problem.

[Tonkinese]

I got something wrong in class the other day, and a student with SEN corrected me. Not as politely as someone else could have, but done well for him. I thanked him and corrected myself. As others have said, it's an opportunity to model corrections.

[ailPartout]

Rainmaker1

Hmm.

Or perhaps remembering that there are many, many more important things that people (and teachers: they aren't two distinct sets and it seems you could do well to remember this) do every single day besides spell correctly.

My Universities (Oxbridge) had no spelling requirement for my degrees (up to PhD). I see even less need for it now: there was no spell check when I began my education.

New teachers need to pass a numeracy and literacy exam. The former checks spellings but only around 20 questions.

[CaraAspen]

"Rainmaker1

I'd raise hell. Sounds like this fucker needs firmly putting back in her place."

Hmmmmmmmmm

[CaraAspen]

"MrsDustyBusty

DH is ringing today asking to speak to the teacher so we'll see

Oh dear. I can't imagine that's going to improve the situation.

I'd raise hell. Sounds like this fucker needs firmly putting back in her place.

I'm really shocked. This is a bizarre overreaction to a situation that is at most, nothing."

I totally agree. The people who are calling the teacher vile names must have issues themselves.