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Secondary education

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Original poster

AIBU to take issue with English Teachers' bad grammar in a letter home?

78 replies

missismac · 10/01/2012 10:48

Didn't really want to post this in AIBU as it's fairly specific.

DS is in year 7 (he's 11) at a local comp. He's my 3rd child through the school. It's served well (so far) for the others & I'm generally happy with what it does for my kids.

However, we've received a letter home today praising DS2's progress in English. It details his hard work and last term and states;

"As a result he has stood out as one of the most positive, hardworking students in the class."

"has stood out"??!! WTF - how is that ever English, and should I ask his teacher about it?

I feel I am being pedantic about this, but on the other hand, correct grammar matters. DS struggles with reading & writing - if I can't trust that his teachers are teaching him correctly then how can I be confident in the education he's getting.

Should I follow this up, or am I making a fuss over nothing?

OP posts:
SilentBoob · 10/01/2012 10:52

I bet I'm not the only MNer currently sitting at my computer mumbling "stooded? Stooden? Stodden? Stode?"

Grin
Bucharest · 10/01/2012 10:55

Are you taking umbrage with the fact that "he has stood out" might mean that his standing out is no longer valid, although it once was, or that she is using a phrasal verb?

Either way, I wouldn't be writing any letters of complaint just yet. Wink (or asking the teacher for an explanation, although I'm sure she could give you one)

OctonautsOnRepeat · 10/01/2012 10:55

Are there several English teachers or just one?

Should teacher be capitalised?

Longtallsally · 10/01/2012 10:56

I would put it in context - look through the comments in his book. Is this teacher consistently making errors in his/her writing/grammar/spelling? Then there is a cause for concern which you could raise.

However this teacher has done thirty, sixty or ninety odd of these statements during a busy time of the year, whilst also preparing work and marking. It could just be a one off slip, late at night.

I'd suggest that you keep an eye on things, but not worry too much if it is a one off.

Longtallsally · 10/01/2012 10:57

Silentboob Grin - yup I did that!

Bucharest · 10/01/2012 10:57

What could be a one off slip late at night?

Am I missing something?

BigBoobiedBertha · 10/01/2012 10:58

He has been standing out...?

He stands out...?

What should it be?

You are right OP it doesn't sound good. However, this is a letter to you presumably. Unless you have examples of where the teacher has either let your DS's poor grammar go or has made an error in the correction of his work I would let it go. It could be a one-off. If it happens again then I would contemplate saying something although what I am not sure!!

Lancelottie · 10/01/2012 10:59

WTAF?
I don't often think 'Get a Grip, OP', but you do seem a little overwhelmed at non-existent bad grammar, rather than charmed and pleased that your child is doing well AND his teacher has bothered to tell you so.

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 10/01/2012 11:00

Depends ... is the letter from one teacher or more than one? Is it one teacher's bad grammar or several teachers' bad grammar? Wink

I'm not sure if 'has stood out' is correct or not but it is certainly clumsy.

Lancelottie · 10/01/2012 11:01

Maybe he/she thought the slightly informal 'stood out' would be, I dunno, friendlier than 'has exceeded minimum expectations and is an examplar of best added value'?

IndigoBell · 10/01/2012 11:03

YABVU.

Get a grip :)

PostBellumBugsy · 10/01/2012 11:03

I have been surprised by the poor standard of English from some of the teachers of my DCs over the years - both in conversation with them & also via the paperwork that comes home.
At the last school, I was sorely tempted to red ring all the mistakes in the newsletter & anonymously send it back to the head teacher! (I resisted the temptation.)
I think you have to work out what you stand to gain by going into bat with this missismac. I can't see a good result myself. If your DS struggles with reading & writing & you don't have complete confidence in his teacher, would it be worth trying to find a bit of extra help externally?

Spidermama · 10/01/2012 11:05

"He has stood out" is perfectly acceptable and quite correct.

For the love of God DON'T go rushing in and saying otherwise. You'll look like a right twat.

ohmygosh123 · 10/01/2012 11:09

I'd be grateful for a detailed report that shows he is doing well and the teacher has got to know him ....... and I'd hate writing reports for 30 kids knowing that one small mistake might get noticed! Lets face it, we all make mistakes. Now if it had been riddled with grammatical mistakes like another thread on here then I'd agree. YABU.

Lancelottie you made me lol.

ohmygosh123 · 10/01/2012 11:11

Out of interest what would you have preferred she had written? He stood out this term? ..... I don't actually have a problem with what the teacher wrote.

Kez100 · 10/01/2012 11:12

Sounds fine to me! Then I'm more a number person and so long as I know what someone means I don't get particularly upset.

I did once have an issue with a lot of the answers in a 'catch up' Maths pack provided to my daughter. I did let them know, quietly, as I didn't want more egg on face if they used it for others, but didn't make a song or dance because, at the end of the day, they didn't have to do it!

Original poster
missismac · 10/01/2012 11:15

"stands" it's "he stands out".

Ok, I'll climb back into my box then :) . I'll keep an eye though, and put it down to late night letter typing from the teacher.

lancelottie -
Not overwhelmed, no - just canvassing opinion - it's what this forum is for.

I am of course charmed and pleased at that DS is doing well, but I didn't feel the need to post that.

It isn't the informality of "stood out" that's the issue. It's that it's very obviously completely and utterly wrong and a Secondary school English teacher should know better than to be making such a basic grammar error

OP posts:
Spidermama · 10/01/2012 11:17

Take an article in today's Telegraph for example which reads ....

Simon Briggs: only Jonathan Trott has stood out for England in a series too far against Australia this winter.

There's nothing wrong with it. It's perfectly grammatical.

Spidermama · 10/01/2012 11:18

It's "he stands out" or "he has stood out" depending on which tense you are using.

wordgirl · 10/01/2012 11:20

Yes, it's nothing to do with informality - it's just a different tense and is grammatically correct.

Spidermama · 10/01/2012 11:21

"He has stood" is ast perfect tense btw as I'm sure any good English teacher will be able to inform you. Grin

campergirls · 10/01/2012 11:22

It is not 'very obviously completely and utterly wrong'. And I don't understand why you think it is. The fact that 'stands' is the correct present tense form has no bearing on whether 'has stood' is the correct form of the perfect tense.

PostBellumBugsy · 10/01/2012 11:22

We need some of the grammar pedants to share their wisdom but my understanding is that "has stood" is the perfect tense use of the verb & in the sentence missimac gave, it should really have been the past tense conjugation, "he stood".

However, I think it could potentially look very pedantic to raise that!

Spidermama · 10/01/2012 11:22

Whoops! Past perfect I mean. The P on my keyboard is in the last throes of life.

TheScarlettPimpernel · 10/01/2012 11:24

Your title is grammatically incorrect.

There is nothing grammatically incorrect in the teacher's report.

I am mortified for you Grin