Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

DS new teacher called his writing "tatty" - what do you think to this, both parents and Teachers?

71 replies

hulahoopsilove · 18/09/2013 14:08

DS is and in year 4, new teacher. His is a good all roudn acedemic however his writing is a little on the untidy side.

Last teacher said that he has so much in his head, so much buzzing around that he's whizzing through the pages to get it all written down. It is one of his goals to try to write neater etc,... end of the summer term she said she didnt feel it was a huge problem as it was "secretarial" and that his content and grammer was great and that any critisum could halt all of this.

Ok so now back to school and new year new teacher. Learning a lovely topic at the moment that he is really enjoying however the teacher looked over his shoulder and said his writing was "tatty" - he's gutted.

What do I do, parents evening in a couple of weeks so I really want to bring this up - concerned as its a new teacher and dont want to get off on the wrong foot however I think this should be talked about.

How should I go about it - I would like both parents and teachers views please?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Periwinkle007 · 18/09/2013 14:18

well not the most tactful of terms but if it is true then I am not sure that raising it will do much. I used to get told by teachers how untidy my handwriting was and how I needed to put more effort into it so I did. sometimes perhaps teachers have to be blunt to have effect, sometimes it is just their approach. If he was really upset then you could mention it and just say he is sensitive but it would probably be better in the long run that you explain to him that that is the teacher's opinion, does he think his handwriting could do with some work and if so then does he think the teacher might have been right, that it is a bit tatty round the edges and could be improved which would then greatly improve his overall work.

Cheryzan · 18/09/2013 14:26

What's wrong with calling his writing tatty?

If he wants to improve his writing he can.

The more people who tell him don't worry about it the less incentive there is for him to address it.

It's up to him......

Biscuitsneeded · 18/09/2013 14:33

Errrrm. Poor teacher, if he or she cannot offer some honest criticism for fear of traumatising a child. Presumably she knows your son to be capable of doing better? My son's last teacher told him in no uncertain terms that his written work was way below the standard of his maths and his reading abilities, and that this laziness was seriously holding him back. How I LOVED her for telling it like it is! Unless there is a reason why your DS cannot write any more neatly I think it's a reasonable comment to have made!

sonlypuppyfat · 18/09/2013 14:33

Constructive criticism without the constructive bit!

SavoyCabbage · 18/09/2013 14:38

I think you are overreacting, especially as you already know his writing is messy.

pixiepotter · 18/09/2013 14:40

I think he needs to develop a bit of resilence if he is 'gutted' at this mildcriticism of his work!!!

Ragwort · 18/09/2013 14:43

I wish a teacher had told my DS that his handwriting was 'tatty' at 4 - he is 12 now and it is still really awful. Feel sorry for the teacher, what are they meant to say.
'Your writing could be a lot neater' - or 'it's tatty' .

bringbacksideburns · 18/09/2013 14:47

Blimey! It wouldn't bother me that she used the word 'tatty' to describe untidy.

Just ask what strategies the teacher advises to neaten up his handwriting and it you don't overreact over minor things then he won't be gutted about them really.

Morgause · 18/09/2013 14:48

I can't believe you are even thinking about discussing this with the teacher.

The teacher used a colloquialism. If it isn't true it may be worth discussing, but from what you've said his writing is tatty. Spend your time helping him improve it instead of bothering the teacher with something so trivial.

titchy · 18/09/2013 14:49

Easy. You say 'Ds told me you'd said his writing was tatty. I can't disagree with you and I'll try and reinforce neatness at home.'

OrmirianResurgam · 18/09/2013 14:50

Would you prefer 'scruffy' or 'illegible'?

MrsTruper · 18/09/2013 14:50

I think the point could be that there are inconsistencies between teachers, rather than a consistent standard being applied each year. One year a certain trait/standard is ok, the next year (due to a different teacher) it is not.

I have found this in my daughter's school, can't say I have found the solution though!

Stravy · 18/09/2013 14:53

Is he gutted because his writing is tatty or because he doesn't like being told that his writing is tatty? Either way it can be resolved by writing less tattily, with an emphasis on letter size and keeping the slope going in the same direction unlike my own writing which veers wildly in all directions like a drunk

Smartiepants79 · 18/09/2013 14:56

Well was it 'tatty' ? Did he feel he had tried harder than normal and was therefore upset?
You acknowledge that his writing is untidy and could do with a bit of effort to improve it. The teacher has just used a descriptive word, how is Tatty worse than 'untidy' or 'messy'. She clearly felt he hadn't made much of a effort.
If it was me I'm afraid I wouldn't be being particularly sympathetic to a 9 yr old who was upset by this. I'd just be reiterating what he needs to do to make sure it doesn't happen again.
The most I would be doing at parents evening is asking what I could do to help him improve.

Bunnyjo · 18/09/2013 14:57

DD is now in Year 2. At the start of Year 1 she was noted at being very able (gifted) in literacy and numeracy, but the teacher was shocked at the messiness of her writing - as in your DS's case, it was just because she had so much she wanted to write down. There are a few pages in her literacy book where the teacher has commented that her work is of excellent content, but the presentation was very messy/scribbly/untidy.

This was duly noted by DD and she made a huge effort to improve the neatness of her writing. Now the presentation of her work matches the content. Her efforts were noted by the teacher too, and she heavily praised DD when her standards improved.

I didn't see a problem with the teacher saying/writing that when she was in Year 1, and she had just turned 5 (she's an August baby), so I certainly wouldn't have a problem in Year 4. I think you, and your DS, need to toughen up a little.

Redlocks30 · 18/09/2013 14:57

His writing is tatty, you've said so.

stargirl1701 · 18/09/2013 14:59

She was correct to point it out to him. It's good that he feels upset. You can now support him to improve his presentation skills. All good things.

moondog · 18/09/2013 15:00

Good God.
So the truth must not be spoken for fear of damaging fragile 'self esteem' of pampered youth? Instead of planning how you are going to lay into her, how about practicing at home (God forbid)?

My children's handwriting wasn't great and as I knew their teachers wouldn't bother doing anything so old fashioned as to teach them how to write properly, I addressed it myself with many hours of practice.

LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 18/09/2013 15:06

Do you object to the word 'tatty' - in which case, I can't see a problem with it, it's no better, no worse than messy. Or, the fact she told him his writing needs improving - which you agree with...so I can't really see your point.

enderwoman · 18/09/2013 15:06

Did you see his work? Maybe she means tattier than usual which is constructive criticism so fine in my opinion.

My son in y3 was doing homework yesterday and I made him rewrite it because it was much messier than usual standard and I feel no guilt. (It was a haiku so not a big amount of rewriting)

BrianTheMole · 18/09/2013 15:08

I think there are more tactful ways to put it. Good handwriting was never my strong point as a child, even though I did try hard with it. I was looking through my old school books the other day and it was littered with comments in red pen from the teacher saying, messy, tatty, must try harder, throughout. My hand writing changed every day in the book, obviously in an attempt to please the teacher. And then after one particularly scathing comment the handwriting completely goes downhill for the rest of the book. I'd obviously figured that none of the attempts were good enough, and had completely given up. I think teachers should try and be a bit more careful about how they word their criticism. Sometimes the result of misjudged words can last for years.

moondog · 18/09/2013 15:13

I am quite happy to rip up cards my children make for other people if the handwriting is not up to scratch.
How else will they learn?
I also go through the work and correct all of the mistakes their teachers can't be arsed to correct or don't want to. Probably because they have attended countless workshops that talk of damaging 'fragile emerging creativity'.

Total bollocks.

JustBecauseICan · 18/09/2013 15:13

She is doing him a favour.

Because at secondary school he may find himself with a teacher who refuses to mark it if he/she can't read it.

You shouldn't bring it up with anyone except him and you should be telling him he needs to work on not making it tatty.

He won't break.

JustBecauseICan · 18/09/2013 15:14

(you taught my daughter to read, many years ago, under a different id )

moondog · 18/09/2013 15:17

Did I?
Surely not.
Tell me more.

I look over my father's handwriting practice books from when he was 5 and want to weep. They were beautiful and his writing is still beautiful.

Flip

1 2 3