Incorrect spelling by TA

[Spacemonkey2016]

My son's school has open afternoons to look at their work once a term, and I went to one today. I noticed that one piece of work had been marked, alongside a comment of 'Theese are good sentences'. Definitely wasn't his teacher's handwriting, DS said it was a TA who has recently started. I feel like I want to raise it as feedback to the school, as surely teacher comments shouldn't have incorrect spellings on them. Or would that make me look like a complete nightmare parent? DS is in Year 1 and is aware that 'theese' is incorrect.

I used to be a TA in primary, it’s probably where she has been teaching phonics and is hyper focused on the ee sound. It’s easily done if you’re rushing.

Yes, this person on minimum wage, paid to assist and not teach, who doesn't get holiday pay, should be reported for this obvious slip of the pen and probably put on some sort of register.

You were lucky it was just the TA, OP! When my DD was in primary one, age 5, she had to correct her teacher’s spelling!
Not only that, but the wretched woman tried to argue, after DD had pointed out that lettice is not how one spells lettuce, that “either are correct”.
It was not an isolated occurrence. I sent the end of term report back to school with red ink highlighting such howlers as “spacial” awareness for spatial….
Children taught incorrectly at primary school may be lumbered with these errors for life if nobody points them out. I still remember a useless teacher 60 years ago when I was 7, who spelled yacht “yot”!

I agree that everyone teaching children literacy should have correct spelling and if there are frequent mistakes it needs to be raised. If children learn spellings wrongly it will be harder to relearn and confusing. But ‘theese’ is more likely to be one off rushed mistake than actually not knowing how to spell so best ignored in my opinion.

The only time I complained was when geography teacher sent DS home with a world map showing USSR instead of Russia and surrounding separate countries long after they gained independence. Never heard anything back from school though.

And yes teachers and TAs need all the support they can get especially at present.

Sorry, did I say 'I was going to report her' or did I say 'give feedback to the school'. And no, I am not 'that parent' (hence asking for a reality check, but, really, I still feel that someone teaching a child should be able to spell) and also, how dare you insult my (completely lovely and wouldn't say boo to a goose) child. I was not rude in ANY way in my OP, nor did I post this in AIBU. It was a genuine question. Literally, you're a viper.

I quite often stick a random e on the end of a word. My hand just...keeps writing for some reason. It's not because I don't know how to spell. Usually I spot it straight away and strike it through, but I'm sure I probably miss the odd one when I'm rushed.

TAs are largely underpaid and massively put upon. They also often aren't given the training they need and are expected to just cope with whatever is thrown at them, with no experience and no guidance. As long as she is supportive and your son isn't complaining of being treated poorly, please don't make her job harder than it undoubtedly already is.

Sorry, I should have tagged OP in the second paragraph.

@Spacemonkey2016

You clearly want to make trouble for the TA over a genuine mistake, by giving your
"feedback." How about praising the teaching staff instead of trying to make things hard for them. Don't you think their jobs are difficult enough without you tittle tattling at the classroom door?

Hopefully you will realise how out of order you would be being by the replies on here.

Not a viper, some people just need to be told how it is!

I think this is unlikely - it’s not like there and their which it’s easy to get wrong if you’re writing quickly.

I’d send a quick note to the teacher, they do need to assess whether TAing is right for this person.

It reminds me of my daughter's Year 2 teacher who crossed our 'I would have' in a sentence my daughter had written and corrected it with 'I would of' with a big green 'sp' in the margin. I was too shocked to speak to the headteacher. It was a culmination of a dreadful year's teaching and I went to look at two other schools the next day and removed her at the end of term 😆😆

One of the TAs at our local school regularly posts "would of" on FB. Drives me nuts.

No, don't worry, I won't be saying anything. It was a genuine 'is this bad?' question. Interestingly, I told my Mum this tonight, who is a very recently retired TA of 30 years and she absolutely gave the impression that it wouldn't have been acceptable in her old school, hence why I thought I would seek a wider opinion of reality. Absolutely wish I hadn't have bothered now 😏

We've had a few teachers over the years with DC that couldn't spell, and it was hilarious. There have been some ridiculous spelling mistakes in homework, I've never brought it up as such, kids would just put a question mark next to it or circle it and not answer that one, and I was fine with that.

I think that in order to be a primary teacher you've got to be able to confidently spell the basic vocab you're asking them to use, if you're telling kids that spelling correctly is important then you need to be able to practice what you preach.

@Spacemonkey2016

"I still feel that someone teaching a child should be able to spell)"

They should. You said this was a TA though.

Some people need to be told to learn how to articulate their point without calling someone a dickhead.....

Won't be engaging with you further.

Taking a swerve out of this thread now. Thanks to everyone who gave an opinion without being rude or slinging insults.

Was genuinely after opinions, not a fight.

I hope to God you aren't a parent of my school.
Today, the teacher was called out by senior staff for an absolute emergency. (safeguarding)
I took over the lesson for 20 mins. I know what I'm doing & am more than qualified/capable.
A brain storming session of creative words were being thrown around. Engaging, brilliant & I was throughly impressed with some amazing work being done. Until pupil x came out with a adjective, not at all difficult to spell & my mind suddenly went blank as I added it to the list of many on the whiteboard! 😱

It happens.

I'm sure there's a typo or grammatical error in this post you'd like to report me to my employer for. 🙄

Congratulations 🎉 you ARE that nightmare parent! 🥂

P.s it's not just teachers sacking it off for a till job at Aldi on better pay!!! (No offence intended to retail workers)

I'm with you OP, I don't feel that adults, whether TA or teacher should be writing spelling mistakes on childrens work. Seems fairly basic to me.

Are you like this with everyone you come across OP? Do you hold yourself to the same high standards? I hope you are the perfect parent and have never made a silly mistake. I don’t think it is unfair to expect someone who decided to have a child to actually parent perfectly.

*"I still feel that someone teaching a child should be able to spell)"

They should. You said this was a TA though.*

Given the state of state schools at the moment, a lot of TA's do teach. I'm one of them myself.

My sister’s kids’ school was appalling for sending home official correspondence with incorrect use of they’re/their/there, where/wear used interchangeably, it’s/its etc.

It was so bad and so frequent she pulled her sons out as she had no faith they would teach them correctly.

Part of me thinks this way but then the other part of me knows my SIL who is amazing with kids and worked in a nursery. Although her spelling and grammar isn't great she's absolutely a natural with kids.

It would be a shame if all of the other people like her weren't able to do these jobs with kids because their English isn't perfect.

My youngest son had a dyslexic Geography teacher and she made spelling mistakes virtually every week. We mentioned it at Parents Evening as we felt she should make more effort with her spelling, and she told us she was dyslexic. When DS brought his book home I just used to circle the spelling errors in a red pen before the book went back to school. If a teacher writes comments in a child's book it should not be incorrectly spelt. She even hand wrote a spelling on his report once. I had to sign to show I had received the report and make a comment if I wished. I commented that I thought it was too lazy of her to make a spelling error on a report. She should have typed it and used the spell check. I was also a teacher at the time. In my school all reports were checked by HoY before being sent out. Spelling errors would be unacceptable.

I agree with you, to a point. I don't care a jot if my DD's nursery keyworker can spell or not, as neither can she, nor can she read. As long as she is cuddled and happy and engaged, cool.

It seems different to me in a school though. DS is learning how to write, read, spell etc. I would like to think as a bare minimum, things would be written correctly.