Page 20 | Should I correct a teacher?

Sadgirlonatrain · 2023-01-18T13:17:54+00:00

In my son's recent geography homework, one of the questions on the sheet referred to the decline of coal mining in the North East. "How would this of effected the area?" No wonder the use of 'would of' is so widespread now, never mind the incorrect use of 'effected.' Would you say anything to the school?

thing47 · 19/01/2023 17:56

Which obviously applies to me also as there's a redundant extra 'be' in my previous post 😂

LimitIsUp · 19/01/2023 18:12

@thing47 don't be a party pooper, I love a good ruck

Yes it's true that this teacher's mistake may not be due to dyslexia, and I have no difficulty with posters saying that the error should be flagged. It's just the lack of proportionality - with some posters suggesting that this teacher is unfit for her profession etc - for one mistake!

senua · 19/01/2023 18:44

LimitIsUp · 19/01/2023 18:12

@thing47 don't be a party pooper, I love a good ruck

Yes it's true that this teacher's mistake may not be due to dyslexia, and I have no difficulty with posters saying that the error should be flagged. It's just the lack of proportionality - with some posters suggesting that this teacher is unfit for her profession etc - for one mistake!

Two mistakes within the one, very short sentence.

Original poster

Sadgirlonatrain · 19/01/2023 18:47

Just to clear up one of the points people are mentioning, the work she has set doesn't seem to be taken from any resource. It's a PowerPoint with about 20 or 30 slides and they all look handmade, so to speak. I can't see any signs of dyslexia throughout the pages, and only spotted this one question as it stood out so much to me. I was talking to my son about this last night and he said teachers do it all the time, and sometimes someone in the class will point it out, but that they kind of expect to find mistakes. It's a top set class so the kids will see it, know it's wrong and move on. But my concern is that others won't see the mistake and carry on thinking would of is correct as the teacher has used it. I hope one of the kids will point it out tomorrow and it will all be sorted!

OP posts:

CohenTree · 20/01/2023 06:15

snowlolo · 18/01/2023 14:13

Part of the job of a teacher is to teach correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. Whichever subject they're teaching, if it involves written work then they should be doing this correctly to set a good example.

You don't teach children one way to write/ spell in English and then do something completely different in Geography - that's incredibly confusing for children. All written work is important.

If the teacher can't spell or use grammar correctly e.g. because they're dyslexic, then by the time they are qualified they should be aware of that and have found ways around it in order to enable them to teach (seeing as this is literally their job).

They should be having work spell checked before distributing it to children as a matter of course.

This 100%. No-one is expecting a geography teacher to write like Shakespeare but this is very basic stuff we're talking about here.

RosaGallica · 20/01/2023 06:20

I’m afraid nobody in teaching, at least primary, cares about petty things like spelling and grammar any more, and it certainly is not required for the job. Smiling at the right people and playing politics is what is required for the job.

NCTDN · 20/01/2023 07:48

@RosaGallica where do you get that from?
That's totally untrue. For a start, spelling and grammar form a huge part of sats.

sanityisamyth · 20/01/2023 08:25

RosaGallica · 20/01/2023 06:20

I’m afraid nobody in teaching, at least primary, cares about petty things like spelling and grammar any more, and it certainly is not required for the job. Smiling at the right people and playing politics is what is required for the job.

Bullshit!

Crazycrazylady · 20/01/2023 16:53

Honestly the grammar police make my skin itch. I have colleagues who cheerfully brag about hilariously pedantic they are and how (tinkly laugh) they correct incorrect grammar every time.

Follow this through . You correct her grammar. She thinks your a dick and is embarrassed. How does that benefit you or your child in any way.
Correct it on the sheet. Explain to your child it's incorrect and move on.

Tulipomania · 20/01/2023 18:36

She thinks you're a dick.

I'm not embarrassed.

Thereisnolight · 20/01/2023 18:53

Crazycrazylady · 20/01/2023 16:53

Honestly the grammar police make my skin itch. I have colleagues who cheerfully brag about hilariously pedantic they are and how (tinkly laugh) they correct incorrect grammar every time.

Follow this through . You correct her grammar. She thinks your a dick and is embarrassed. How does that benefit you or your child in any way.
Correct it on the sheet. Explain to your child it's incorrect and move on.

What about the many children who have no one at home to point out that the teacher is incorrect? They rely exclusively on the teacher - who is teaching them the wrong things. Poor kids!

Diverseopinions · 20/01/2023 20:21

Thereisnolight · 20/01/2023 18:53

What about the many children who have no one at home to point out that the teacher is incorrect? They rely exclusively on the teacher - who is teaching them the wrong things. Poor kids!

Show quote history

Kids are taught that you learn by making mistakes. Why, them, would a teacher be so opposed to being corrected?

She thinks you're a dick.

Patineur · 21/01/2023 10:17

Crazycrazylady · 20/01/2023 16:53

Honestly the grammar police make my skin itch. I have colleagues who cheerfully brag about hilariously pedantic they are and how (tinkly laugh) they correct incorrect grammar every time.

Follow this through . You correct her grammar. She thinks your a dick and is embarrassed. How does that benefit you or your child in any way.
Correct it on the sheet. Explain to your child it's incorrect and move on.

It's perfectly possible to correct her politely - I tend to suggest that errors like this are a typo so it leaves room to save face. If the teacher still thinks the parent is a dick in that situation, that makes the teacher a dick: they should be prepared to acknowledge that it's important that they don't teach children that "could of" is OK, especially when. they know that children will lose marks in exams if they follow the teacher's example.

As PP have said, it does no harm whatsoever for a teacher to admit they are infallible. DSis is dyspraxia and teaches in a primary school: each year she explains that she has a problem with working out the difference between left and right, and asks the pupils to point out if she gets it wrong. They have a great time all year watching her like a hawk and helping her out. Result - children leave the year with excellent knowledge of left and right, and that having a learning difficulty is nothing to be ashamed of. Win-win!

Patineur · 21/01/2023 10:18

Agh, I knew I would get something wrong. I meant DSis has dyspraxia, not is dyspraxia!

Lucy882206 · 21/01/2023 16:53

Receiptsplease · 18/01/2023 14:00

When I was a teacher I made my own worksheets till very late at night so I could meet my class' individual needs and really get the best learning out of them. Very rarely used Twinkl etc.

I had one parent absolutely hound me with typos, and yes, they were typos. Things like missing out or doing a double pound sign, repeating the odd word like 'and' or when text had moved down a line. The sort of thing anyone above age 6 could correct themselves quite easily or made no difference to their ability to understand.

I put up with it for a year. I then left teaching and never looked back. Quite happy to be out of being treated like scum of the earth for terrible pay and quality of life.

Obviously I am a teacher retention statistic now. Money wasted training me, kids don't benefit from my teaching and skillset/subject shortage/experience.

Complaining is fine. Just don't complain when you are left without a geography teacher and have a series of poor supplies for your child's education. You reap what you sew. (Or sow if you are tired from working 7am-11pm)

But thanks for reminding me I made the right choice op. Fact is any teacher worth their salt is leaving and only the ones who are less skilled and have no other option and don't care are staying.

Bravo.

I couldn't agree more!

I couldn't help but notice how accurate everyone's use of spelling, punctuation and grammar is in this thread 😆

I do make the odd mistake if I'm really exhausted and haven't had time to proof read my work. I work full time and I have a one year old so I often have to stay up late at night to plan my lessons and mark my books (unpaid too!). Mistakes happen. I understand that we're expected to set a standard but we're also human. If it is just one mistake, maybe you could give them the benefit of the doubt? I can always immediately spot when I have made a mistake and usually correct it. I think it would be a problem if the same mistake had been repeated. Politely pointing it out to the teacher I think would be a better approach in my opinion.

The responses on here do not surprise me. No wonder why teachers are leaving and schools can't recruit them. Thank God I am leaving teaching!

BellaBoo20 · 21/01/2023 17:11

Backtoreality1 · 18/01/2023 14:48

As someone who has to proofread the documents in a school before they are sent out by teachers, PLEASE MAKE A POLITE COMPLAINT! It is terrifying how many teachers can not use basic English correctly.

Oh dear! 🤦🏼‍♀️

Gemcat1 · 21/01/2023 18:50

The wrong letter could just be a writing mistake but the teacher should be sure of the spelling for homework. I would wait to see if it happens again before you decide. In the meantime tell your child the correct spelling.

I worked with an English teacher and I had to correct her written English when she wrote a letter because it was deplorable. My younger son's head of English sent home a letter that had no known English grammar or spelling in it. I took a red pen to it, marked it with an F then posted it back, anonymously, as I did not want anyone to take it out on my kids. If this is the quality of teaching in universities today then it is no wonder that our children are illegitimate!

sanityisamyth · 21/01/2023 19:09

Gemcat1 · 21/01/2023 18:50

The wrong letter could just be a writing mistake but the teacher should be sure of the spelling for homework. I would wait to see if it happens again before you decide. In the meantime tell your child the correct spelling.

I worked with an English teacher and I had to correct her written English when she wrote a letter because it was deplorable. My younger son's head of English sent home a letter that had no known English grammar or spelling in it. I took a red pen to it, marked it with an F then posted it back, anonymously, as I did not want anyone to take it out on my kids. If this is the quality of teaching in universities today then it is no wonder that our children are illegitimate!

Illegitimate or illiterate?

MrsHamlet · 21/01/2023 19:32

If this is the quality of teaching in universities today then it is no wonder that our children are illegitimate!
I'm really not sure you can blame teacher training for that!

StephanieSuperpowers · 21/01/2023 20:12

Unforeseen consequences.

KateADM · 21/01/2023 20:50

MrsHamlet · 21/01/2023 19:32

If this is the quality of teaching in universities today then it is no wonder that our children are illegitimate!
I'm really not sure you can blame teacher training for that!

😂😂😂

Gemcat1 · 21/01/2023 21:16

@sanityisamyth Which do you think? It was a standing joke for many years.

erehj · 21/01/2023 22:14

MrsHamlet · 21/01/2023 19:32

If this is the quality of teaching in universities today then it is no wonder that our children are illegitimate!
I'm really not sure you can blame teacher training for that!

🤣🤣🤣