To expect the school to not make spelling and grammar mistakes

[concernedforthefuture]

Maybe I'm being pedantic, but I'm getting a bit fed up with receiving letters & reports etc. from school with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. It's not just the odd one here and there; each week, the newsletter (written by the headteacher!) has multiple errors that make me cringe. The new sign on DS' classroom door announces 'Welcome to Eagle's Class'.
I really want to mention it but without coming across as wanky. I don't think it's acceptable that my children are being taught by teachers who aren't confidently applying the rules that they're trying to teach to their own work.

I was in a library about 15 years a go and insisted a sign about “DVD’s” be changed so yeah, I’m that person.
I think it’s important. The odd there / their I can understand as a typo but apostrophes on plural words is becoming the standard way of writing a plural it seems. I would challenge it about the door sign.

Yanbu.

As a teacher this is imperative. Our head asks that we support and spell check colleagues' letters etc.

If I'm honest, it's only through corrections that I've learnt a couple of common errors I always made.

frets about correct punctuation

I'd mention it. In an institute of learning it isn't really acceptable,IMO.
I was at a school play last night (WW1 British setting) and they kept referring to the junior officers as loo-tenant instead of lef-tenant.
I am a bit rubbish at grammar in general, and certainly no pedant, but I do expect a school to get it right. As long as you don't go in all guns blazing, but mention it politely, its fine.
(I'm sure I will have made some errors in writing this!)

Odd mistakes are part and parcel of life. I've had students spot typos in my model answers.

If it's all the time then it doesn't look good. I'd mention the sign to the class teacher. There's no need to apportion blame (it might not have been the clas teacher who did it), but raising it quietly seems reasonable.

Well I'm sure the head would appreciate your comments

After all she's probably done 2 days teaching, 5/6 after school parent meetings social service referrals Christmas plays late night at the Christmas fair planned for next term observed several members of staff monitored the playground and had 10 children in the office due to behaviour then there's the teacher meetings staff meetings and assemblies to sort out as well as implementing new initiatives. Theres new students starting student teachers to sort and targets to set for teachers - did I mention the buildimgvwork that needs signing off and cover staff to organise? Oh and the School Governors are popping in for some Christmas cheer and a walk about.

But yes do mention a typo ..... most important part of the week I'm sure

I saw a sign in my daughter's primary school that said "Don't waist water"

There is a difference between typos and SPAG errors.

I agree with you. My DC’s school newsletter-which is written by the head teacher-is littered with spelling and grammar errors, BUT the teachers themselves are generally pretty good and signs around the school/their letters home are fine.

I have never said anything though as I don’t want to come across as a knob. The parents do comment amongst themselves about the newsletter; I really think he should get someone to proof read it!

green
Appropriate use of standard English is in the standards. It's not a big ask and repeated sloppy communication will shape perceptions of the school.

As people have said, nobody is saying it's worth speaking to the school about a single typo or error because that would be ridiculous. A regular line of silly mistakes doesn't reflect well on the school.

I think I know that MAT.. worked for them for a while and insisted on proof reading newsletter weekly, never got below 6 errors a week. Dolphins was always well written.

YABU to split an infinitive in your thread title.

Our head has sent out numerous letters and emails about the class trip to watch Alladin. It’s really grating on me lol

It is called doing your job Green, many,many people do it. That type of reply is what irks people re:teaching.

I don't think I've ever seen a grammatical error in our weekly school journal.
The thing is if you were sending something out or putting something up, in an educational setting-where you supposedly teach people correct grammar-would you not double check it?!
I know I would.

Not seeing what is wrong with the sign on the door.

Is it meant to be Eagles' class as in the class is called Eagles?

Or is it Ms Eagle's class?

😂 split infinitive!
Quietly point it out. Those children see that sign every day... all that incidental learning of something incorrect won’t help them. Or take a sharpie to it yourself.
Don’t work at my school however. Where we are lectured about the fundamental importance of marking for SPAG x curricular because it’s ‘Vital for the book’s to show progress...’. Knucklehead AHT who has shagged his way to the top. Ugh.

I think the class are called Eagles?

YABU to split an infinitive in your thread title

But there's debate as to whether the "no split infinitives" rule is something we should be sticking to, as it's basically a retrofitting of Latin grammar onto English. That's not the same as basic spelling and grammar errors. And even if it were, the OP isn't a teacher, she's a parent, so it's not like she's teaching or marking this stuff.

I think if the OP is pissing and moaning about a teacher's SPAG, they should point out what aspect of SPAG is not up to scratch.

Fuck, missed that it was the head!

I think it's a shame; I'm not surprised as there are many heads these days who are under 40 and had rubbish spag teaching like I did. And many have surfed their way to the top with very little coal face teaching. At the same time, I've made the effort to make sure I do understand it. So I'd consider writing a query to the head about making sure public facing literature is correctly written. At the end of the day, ofsted will notice and it's only going to help that head in that situation.

We once had a letter about fowl language in the playground

@GreenTulips Definitely not just typos, sadly. Yes, we all make mistakes. But when it's your job to educate, you need to do it right IMO. What about the overworked surgeon who puts in long hours, trains new doctors, sorts referrals and so on? Would operating on the wrong body part when they're exhausted be excused as the medical equivalent of a 'typo'? No, didn't think so.

What is the name of the class?

In my head I think it would be ok, if the class is just know as Eagle and this is a sign showing this is the classroom belonging to Eagle. But I know a lot of schools the title would be Eagle Class so it would be wrong.

@echt The class is referred to as Eagles. So presumably the door sign should read 'Eagles' Class'.

fowl language! Hilarious.