Teacher rubbed out most of DS1's work because of handwriting

[thequietone]

He's a sensitive chap (7yo). He's very aware that he needs to work on his cursive handwriting, and is a little behind because he only started school last October (was in another country before then). I've been helping him at home with extra practice, and he's made great progress.

His teacher left at Easter and this new lady has come in. He already told her he needs help with his handwriting. Today, he said he spent a lot of time writing out a story, but was struggling with writing the word "because" joined up. He asked for help - she came over, said "What does this say? What does this say? What's this? And that? I can't read this" and rubbed all but one sentence out.

Is it just me or would there be better ways of her dealing with this? He had no reference now of how to improve on what he'd done.

He doesn't usually offer up much info on what happens at school unless he's upset.

I teach secondary and mark GCSEs. I have never come across writing I can't read; it's the extremely neat, teeny-tiny writing that's hard.

I also get annoyed with the constant emphasis on neat handwriting. Mine is shocking, because I write too fast. Always have. Even when I take ages to try and write 'nicely', it's still shit.

I vividly remember my teacher when I was 7 dragging me up to the front of the class and showing the rest pf the class my book whilst shouting: "Have you no pride in your work? Are you lazy?"

Hope she's not still teaching, she was a vicious bitch.

I was also told I'd never pass any exams unless my handwriting improved.

My DS is 7 and in year 3. In the infants they were always on at him to join up. He just didn't have the fine motor skills and couldn't write quick enough so didn't get his ideas down well/ finish his work. So they moaned at him about this too.

Role on this year and his year 3 (fantastic amazing teacher ) spent the first few weeks telling DS to print if he needed and practice joining up in handwriting lessons. He writing became more fluent, he got his ideas down, he got merit certificates for writing improving. He is now just beginning to join up off his own back. He is so much more confident in his work.

But the problem with forcing him to join before he was ready meant he stayed at the same sublevel for literacy for a whole year.

I do not think making a child think their work is rubbish when they are trying hard is productive at all.

However I remember teachers tearing up work when I was at school because it was rushed so you could play! I am not against that.