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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

DD’s science teacher AIBU

740 replies

Adviceneededalways · 21/01/2021 21:46

Dd14 is quite an opinionated teen and has become very sensitive to even a sniff of inequality. I think it’s quite cool that she has strong beliefs but do sometimes have to tell her her to rein it in a bit..

She came down from Google classroom tonight on a fowl mood and announced that she was drafting a complaint letter to her science teacher due to an argument they had over an exercise in class...

The exercise was dividing statements into fact and opinion, ie FACT on average the sun is 150 million miles from the sun. OPINION pineapple taste good on pizza...

The final one was girls should be able to work in any area they choose which I’m sure you have guess the teacher was adamant was opinion and if had been marked down on the sheet as such...

I personally think this is less about being opinion or fact statement and more to do with it being a poor choice of example in a class of predominantly strong minded young girls but DD is very upset and angry at her teacher.

Is she being a bit immature and dramatic or does she have a point...

I’ll include the work sheet in next post.

OP posts:
SmileEachDay · 23/01/2021 09:58

OP

I’m glad your daughter felt cross about her rights as a female.

I’m also glad she talked it through and realised she was wrong - if her initial crossness used up lots of lesson time and energy, it would be a mature gesture to drop an email to her teacher saying something like “Sorry i let my emotions re feminism get in the way of the lesson - won’t happen again”.

Finally - I’m a teacher. If I came on here and saw a worksheet from a lesson I’d taught pulled apart for 25 pages....I’d feel upset. Or angry. Bit unfairly treated. Very much “Great! Online teaching is 10 times harder than being in class, and now this!”

Original poster
Adviceneededalways · 23/01/2021 10:06

@PerpetualStudent thank you, that’s a huge compliment and she will be delighted with it.

OP posts:
tatutata · 23/01/2021 10:10

I think it's very interesting and has clearly been chosen quite deliberately. My initial reaction is outrage, which I think is exactly the point. Science is not about feelings.

burnoutbabe · 23/01/2021 10:14

It doesn't even sound like it was used as a clever way of explaining the difference.

If it was boys can do everything they want, that would still be opinion over fact and interesting to explain why it's opinion. The other way round sounds you are just saying women are not as good as men (rather than that neither sex can do everything the other can due to xyz reasons)

gingerbiscuits · 23/01/2021 10:16

@Pukkatea

Yes it's a poor example and the teacher should know better, but from a science perspective it is an opinion and not a fact. As an example it could highlight that just because something is morally right or everyone believes it (or should) still doesn't make it a scientific fact. But you're right that it's a dumb move.
This! ⬆️
SmileEachDay · 23/01/2021 10:22

It doesn't even sound like it was used as a clever way of explaining the difference

How do you know?

dontdisturbmenow · 23/01/2021 10:36

But you're right that it's a dumb move
It wasn't. It yielded the outcome sought.

It's the conclusion that it is indeed very much a 'fact' for young women, yet still remains a fact from a science perspective that made for a good lesson.

It doesn't undermine opinions. Opinions can be very close to facts, but it is still not scientific fact.

Frodont · 23/01/2021 10:43

Finally - I’m a teacher. If I came on here and saw a worksheet from a lesson I’d taught pulled apart for 25 pages....I’d feel upset. Or angry. Bit unfairly treated. Very much “Great! Online teaching is 10 times harder than being in class, and now this!”

You'd be upset by someone criticising your worksheet?? Then perhaps you can sympathise with all the nasty criticism that the OP is getting about her child!

JohnMiddleNameRedactedSwanson · 23/01/2021 10:55

@Frodont

Finally - I’m a teacher. If I came on here and saw a worksheet from a lesson I’d taught pulled apart for 25 pages....I’d feel upset. Or angry. Bit unfairly treated. Very much “Great! Online teaching is 10 times harder than being in class, and now this!”

You'd be upset by someone criticising your worksheet?? Then perhaps you can sympathise with all the nasty criticism that the OP is getting about her child!

Do you truly believe that the two are comparable? I agree that OP and her daughter have come in for some nasty criticism but she at least had a choice over whether to open the discussion. The teacher has been offered no such option. It is really disappointing that so many posters think it’s perfectly acceptable to post teachers’ resources.
Frodont · 23/01/2021 10:59

Do you truly believe that the two are comparable?

No - I believe the criticism of the OPs dd is much worse.

Frodont · 23/01/2021 11:00

It is really disappointing that so many posters think it’s perfectly acceptable to post teachers’ resources

Really? But a quick google brings up loads of teaching resources?

JohnMiddleNameRedactedSwanson · 23/01/2021 11:05

@Frodont

It is really disappointing that so many posters think it’s perfectly acceptable to post teachers’ resources

Really? But a quick google brings up loads of teaching resources?

Published online by teachers with the intention of supporting other teachers and in the full knowledge and consent of how they might be used. Not comparable to those issued to students in good faith.

You know this. You are being disingenuous to try and score a point. Don't be cheap.

Mummyoflittledragon · 23/01/2021 11:05

@Frodont

It is really disappointing that so many posters think it’s perfectly acceptable to post teachers’ resources

Really? But a quick google brings up loads of teaching resources?

Can you not see the difference between this specific teacher’s resources and readily available published resources?
Frodont · 23/01/2021 11:09

I think you are being ridiculous and just trying to have a go at the OP for any old made up reason now. 🤷‍♀️

GintyMcGinty · 23/01/2021 11:09

Its an opinion.

But good on your daughter for being confident in asserting her views.

But like others have said cut the teacher some slack - stress and craziness is affecting everyone in lockdown

Frodont · 23/01/2021 11:11

And if posting it meant that noone ever used it again, and instead used a less goady and inflammatory worksheet, then hopefully the DM will pick it up and print it.

JohnMiddleNameRedactedSwanson · 23/01/2021 11:11

Yeah, you’ve jumped the shark there, Frodont. Have a nice day.

Frodont · 23/01/2021 11:12

🤣 you too.

SmileEachDay · 23/01/2021 11:18

Finally - I’m a teacher. If I came on here and saw a worksheet from a lesson I’d taught pulled apart for 25 pages....I’d feel upset. Or angry. Bit unfairly treated. Very much “Great! Online teaching is 10 times harder than being in class, and now this!”

You'd be upset by someone criticising your worksheet?? Then perhaps you can sympathise with all the nasty criticism that the OP is getting about her child!

What job do you do?

LolaSmiles · 23/01/2021 12:13

possibly but having just turned 14 I think quite complex for her to understand and I’m happy that the latter half of your last post (knowing the difference) is what we have worked out this time round
Yes, you're right, she's 14, which is why I think it's the role of adults to say 'actually I accept you are annoyed by this, but it isn't grounds for writing a complaint email' rather than accepting a totally unreasonable complaint as a valid option unless the 14 year old happens to change her mind.

I like the discussion you had with her and it's good that she now sees the difference between fact and opinion, but whether the complaint was a valid complaint doesn't rest on whether the she realised herself that she was wrong.

Being wrong isn’t some personal failing or insult.It’s just what happens from time to time, particularly when we’re young.
This. Sometimes people are wrong. That's life.

There are times to complain and times not to complain, and learning the difference does not depend on whether you're annoyed or you think your opinion is fact matters.

okstretch · 23/01/2021 13:44

But like others have said cut the teacher some slack - stress and craziness is affecting everyone in lockdown

This implies that the teacher was in the wrong. She wasn't.

Cut the 14 year old some slack would make more sense.

Wheresmykimchi · 23/01/2021 14:27

@JohnMiddleNameRedactedSwanson

I’m glad she paused to that she was sure before she carried on.

That’s grand. Perhaps next time you might also consider pausing before you carry on and post someone’s resource on a public forum to be critiqued out of context and without their knowledge or consent.

I agree.
Wheresmykimchi · 23/01/2021 14:30

@AStudyinPink

and yet 3 days later a group of geographically diverse women are still discussing and debating it...

But some of them are plainly wrong. Like your DD was plainly wrong. And it was clear from the outset that she was plainly wrong.

I’m not worried about her, I just don’t agree with your assessments of her.

Its a bit far to not agree with OPs assessment of her own daughter (and I thought the whole thing was preposterous).
AStudyinPink · 23/01/2021 14:47

Its a bit far to not agree with OPs assessment of her own daughter

It’s the opinion I’ve formed based on the available information. An opinion. Not a fact.

Wheresmykimchi · 23/01/2021 14:51

@AStudyinPink

Its a bit far to not agree with OPs assessment of her own daughter

It’s the opinion I’ve formed based on the available information. An opinion. Not a fact.

Grin il be chanting that in my sleep