My job share teacher has poor spelling

[Frustratedteacher1]

I'm a part time KS1 primary who has been working with a different partner for a few months. I've noticed that her spelling is not good... Some examples...

'defiantly' instead of 'definitely'
'scalf' for 'scarf'
'breath' for 'breathe'
'hibinate' for 'hibernate'
'to' when it should be 'too'

And then just general lack of apostrophes and commas.

I'm certainly not perfect but I feel these are pretty basic spellings for a primary school teacher and it's making me frustrated that children are being shown incorrect spellings.

Am I being picky? Would you be bothered if your child's teacher was making these mistakes?

@EnidSpyton Thank you. My parents were told by the Head when I was in year 7, that my English skills were the best they'd ever seen in the school. Funny as I was utter crap at everything else!

Sadly I became ill and never completed school so I'm not saying any of this to brag!

@gahhbored Good trick, thank you.

It is conventionally incorrect, yes.

It's a clumsy and unclear structure and I would always mark it as incorrect in students' written work.

It's like ending a sentence with a preposition or beginning a sentence with a conjunction. You can do it if you want, but it's technically not 'correct' English.

There are rules and there are conventions in English. Conventions are just as important to adhere to as rules, because they ensure your language usage is as clean and clear as possible.

It depends:

Joe and I went to the cinema.

Give it to Joe and me.

This has been a bugbear of parents for years and I'm just bemused by the posts arguing 'grammar' that's taught at far higher levels than KS1.

None of us wanted to be 'that' parent and, as SLT is often the cause of most teacher 'angst', you don't want to be 'that' teacher either. So suggest you keep 'schtum' about it whilst keeping your private list until the issue is raised by someone else. If raised by a parent, look understandingly and knowingly but say not a dot of agreement and direct them to SLT and add as an aside - "oh do let me know how you get on".

I'm dyslexic and really struggle when people spell things wrong. Yanbu.

Get hr to verify her qualifications
Seems odd

@Doubledded123 that’s certainly not a class teachers responsibility.. and they would have been verified at interview and/ or offer of job!

I’d be bothered as a parent and a colleague. You’ll have to raise it with your line manager.

I honestly don't know whether to say it to her, or to our manager. Going to our manager seems sneaky, but I don't have a clue how to tell her that she keeps making errors!!

Loads of teachers are bad at spelling (as well as poor grammar, language skills and maths)- it isn’t unusual.

Are you quite recently qualified? I only ask because I just can't imagine this being an issue in my work place - I've raised concerns about far more serious things than a bit of poor spelling!

I'd approach my phase leader and ask for a chat.

I'd say I felt uncomfortable about broaching it but I wanted to talk with them about something.

Then I'd tell them what I'd noticed. Say I was worried about it reflecting on me. I wasn't really sure what the answer was but I just wanted to raise it because it was playing on my mind.

And see what they say. Have a conversation.

If I really felt unable to address something as simple as this, I'd be looking for a new school.

Actually, I would approach my colleague because he's approachable. And he'd approach me but if I didn't feel able to, I'd do the above.

I'm just not really sure why, as a professional, you don't feel able to address it.

Annoying as it is, It isn't always possible to act on things, even if it seems they might reflect on ourselves, and that they really should be acted on. Unless you are responsible for book looks and line managing this teacher, it isn't really your place to comment. That is the responsibility of her line manager and subject leads. If the issue comes up in your performance management, and in your capacity as subject lead, then you are absolutely within your rights to tackle it. It's the case for most problems in the work place, unless they are safeguarding related. Do you see what I mean? It may be the case that SLT are aware, but have made decisions which might involve a lot of other factors e.g. difficulty with recruitment. It may be the case that SLT are shit and not overseeing their subject leads etc. It may be that SLT are so overwhelmed with other difficulties, that they have not prioritised this. You have no way of knowing unfortunately. That doesn't mean it's right that this should be happening. But you have to be realistic about what your responsilities are, what the stresses are on the school, internal politics etc. If you feel very strongly that you need to bring it up, be aware that you might find the response is not positive, and that you are managed out.

Sometimes, you have to think about getting yourself into a position where it would be your responsibility, by promotions etc. If it's something you really want to change long term

Have you thought about asking her?
Could she be dyslexic or something else that makes spelling difficult?

My DD is dyslexic. She loves a teacher getting it wrong. We're not all perfect and poor spellers can and do succeed in a career of their choosing.

Are the spelling mistakes written or typed?

Many primary schools are unfortunately not great places to bring up this kind of things. Like any smallish workplace, they can be personal fiefdoms. And can then become almost unbearable to work in if you gwt on the wrong side of it. Shouldn't be like that, but it can be how it is.

Obviously, in a well functioning work place, it would be discussing it with the teacher as first strategy. I suppose I'm trying to give realistic advice, having worked in a range of primaries. Some thisnwould be possible, and they are obviously better places to work. Many, it could cause real problems, as overwhelmed staff just don't want to know about problems and so can get defensive or aggressive. Both teachers and SLT.

Problem is that they probably don’t know that they don’t know. 😬😬😬

There’s no need to use a dictionary when you’re blissfully ignorant. 😂

Everybody teaching needs gcse equivalent in maths, science and english.
A lot of posters on here are clueless about the skills and knowledge needed for primary teaching. Subject knowledge is over 11 subjects and even that is a small part of the skill set.

Are you saying that there aren't any primary teachers with sub par spelling and grammar then? There definitely are.

Skills such as being able to communicate and build relationships with a diverse range of 30 children half of whom are neurodiverse or traumatised or feral or spoiled or in care , anxious or are shy or are children of drug users, or parents who have taken their own lives or they are homeless or have epilepsy or diabetes working at levels from year 1 to year 7 level ( and these are children in just one class in a nice area).A teacher must be able to think fast on their feet to deal with de-escalating and diffuse unexpected situations virtually every day
You have to manage the behaviour of these kids and plan your lessons, and organise your classroom to make sure each and everyone progresses in every one of 11 or so subjects.The teacher needs massive organisation skills and the ability to work fast to get the planning fir all this done, plus sen plans and reports and marking.
The teacher has to deploy and manage teaching assistants to maximum effect
Basically a teacher needs to have a very wide skill set they need yo be top of their game in, all the time.You need to be really resilient and such up getting bkamed for things outside your control.
It is not an easy job for losers as some posters seem to think.Most people are not capable of primary teaching however good their spelling is!

@ageratum1 I don't think anyone thinks it's easy. Indeed, that's why there's no one willing to apply and they have to relax the standards as PP said. It's a hard job with shit pay.

I'm aware - I am a teacher. I was explaining why there are teachers in the role who are not suited to it.

No YANBU and as a parent I would be pretty angry if the teacher couldn’t do basic spelling and was teaching my DC. I’d be going to the head.