to despair when I saw a teacher today spelling...

[emkana]

... beautiful as...

"beautifle"

christywhisty, your point about how important it is to have an inspiring teacher is of course valid. All I am saying is that teachers should also be able to spell, or, in the case of your dyslexic head, perhaps, have the means to ensure their words are spelt correctly (dictionary, spell checker, etc)

To say that spelling is not as important as being inspirational is like saying a doctor needs a good bedside manner but can have ropey diagnostic skills. Surely, you want them to have both assets?

And the reason "pickings are not always rich", to quote ladylush, is because teachers are not paid enough to attract the best candidates to the profession.

Not exactly comparable to a doctor though dumble. Parents can help teach their children to spell but are less likely to be able to diagnose health conditions.

My parents were hot on spelling and used to give me spelling tests at home. Some of the posters on here probably don't have good spelling or grammar but they aren't doing anything to improve it, yet think it is ok to criticise a good teacher who can't spell. Imo it is also a parental responsibility to teach a child numeracy and literacy.

One could say the same about other professions e.g. nursing.

It's part of a primary teacher's job to spell properly. If someone is a terrible speller, for whatever reason, then primary teaching is probably not the best career choice.

of course parents should help with spelling too. But teachers are the experts who spend hours a week with your child teaching them. They should be able to spell.

I agree if they are not able to use a dictionary or some other aid that enables them to make sure they do spell correctly.

Though it depends on how bad and how frequent the bad spelling is.

Yes, I meant what pointydog said: that teaching correct spelling is as much a part of the job of teaching as diagnosing illness is a part of a doctor's job.

Of course I can teach my children to spell at home. I can teach them anything they need to learn up to and in some cases exceeding Year 6, but I send my children to school and I expect the teachers I employ (via my council tax) to do the job I employ them to do.

I'm a poor speller, but I try to make sure that my spellings are correct as much as possible, I use a dictionary when I mark, takes me ages but I get there, I also think that interactive whiteboards and projectors are a god send, I can prepare work in advance and check spellings. When i write on the board I have been known to ask the kids when I'm not sure, and SOMETIMES I get it wrong. Beautiful is a VERY common word though and I would be concerned about that. There are many teachers at the moment who can't spell because anyone under about 28 went to primary when spelling and grammar didn't matter, must be an issue in other jobs too.

Well I'm sure with your yr 6 teaching ability your kids will be just fine.

Beautiful is such a basic word-I would expect the pupils to be pointing out the mistake.

If spelling is an issue in a job, then you should be able to spell.

Copywriters, editors and proofreaders, teachers etc will be judged on their spelling by a significant number of their customers and bosses. If you have aids to overcome the issue, then that's fine.

Dumble you don't employ your child's teachers, you contribute to there pay via the tax system, but you don't employ them, the headteacher and the school governors do.

I had an ace science teacher who was dyslexic, she told us in her first lesson that she never minded us correcting her spelling but not to argue with her about cell structure!

Sleepyeyes...I would let the course leaders of a teacher training course decide if you are capable, not what people on here think

We all make mistakes because we are human, and I don't think the odd bad spelling is a capital crime myself.

The english dept of the school I teach in all think you can either spell or you can't and it is no indication of intelligence.

When I applied for teaching, I don't think any one asked me if I could spell, BUT they did ask for enthusiasm about my subject and the ability to engage students.

I am a teacher. I think teachers should be able to spell. If they are not sure of a word, they should look it up. If they are poor spellers for whatever reason, they may still be good teachers. However, a good teacher would be aware of their spelling difficulties and check in a dictionary or get their TA to assist them with any words they found difficult.

The odd spelling mistake, fine.
A science teacher who can't spell well - fair enough, doesn't m atter.
No, the ability to spell is no indication of intelligence.
Is it a pretty important ability for a primary teacher? Yes.

Sleepyeyes - there will always be parents who for some reason are not happy about you teaching their children. There will be those who complain that you give too much homework and those that complain that you give too little homework, those that complain that their one child in your class of 34 has lost their sweatshirt, those who hold you personally responsible because their child heard a swear word in the play ground while you were inside marking, or because another child called their child a name in the lunch hall, or even that you made a spelling mistake while marking the 31st book at 10pm. You have to get used to it, I'm afraid, or you'll never last as a teacher. There will also be parents earning much more than you do for quite possibly rather shorter hours, who will make derrogatory comments about the quality of teachers due to the reletively low level of teachers' pay. While their children are busy making Christmas cards and Christmas decorations for Mummy using materials the teacher often ends up paying for out of their own pocket.

LOL at Ladylush's commment. Of course my children are going to be all right!! It is all the other children I worry about - hence my decision to be a teacher.

I am absolutely stunned that there isn't a universal feeling here that our teachers should be able to spell. I would have thought it was elementary. A bit of numeracy wouldn't go amiss either, along with the ability to communicate and enthuse children. If you as parents don't care, who will?

The thing is, if you take the doctors analogy, all doctors have to be able to diagnose, but not all will have a good bedside manner, they aren't taught it and whilst it would be lovely if they were able to develop an ability to say the right thing to put the patient at ease it isn't essential and many good doctors don't have that ability.

Teachers need to be able to explain concepts and ideas, they have to be able to manage behaviour and talk to parents, they must know how to assess progress and find solutions when a child isn't doing as well as expected, they have to have a good subject knowledge and have a high level of literacy and at least a basic level of numeracy. They must be able to plan lessons and mark books and be able to implement the latest government strategy. It would be great if they could spell as well, but many good teachers can't.

I understand what you are saying. I happen to think all teachers should be able to spell though.

A teacher shouldn't have spelling mistakes that the average 7yr old could point out!

agree with dg that all primary teachers should be able to spell and some secondary teachers, depending on their subject.

Mnay, many good teachers are fab with children but rubbish at communicating with adults. I don't think that matters as much.