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Secondary education

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Original poster

Calling teachers - what could this comment mean?

126 replies

Faultymain5 · 12/11/2021 19:56

My daughter came home from school and I had to sign a sheet in her exercise book.

Firstly I suspect my daughter has APD (since primary school) and have been going backwards and forwards with the various schools/GPS all telling us they can’t do anything unless the other does something. We’ve given her tutors for her problem areas so she can at least keep up. But can’t do it for all.

Anyway she took a history test which she has been “revising” for for a couple weeks.

On the form she brought home today she has to write an explanation of what she did and what went wrong. it shows where she has put in the box that she used the revision sheet provided, understood some of what was on the sheet and memorised some of her notes. She also says she thought she could have focused more to have done better.

All this seems fine. The result was on her, but I’m aware of the time she took out to “revise” and leaving early for homework club in the mornings. I’m also aware she is a bit of a people pleaser.

I started looking through the work that was marked. The comments seemed fair up until the point where the teacher says “Learn how to start a paragraph”. Is this how some teachers deal with children? (nothing changed since my day) or is that comment helpful to a person if they don’t know how to write a paragraph?

Obviously I have to write that I’ve seen the test and the comments and all I can think is if the teacher talks to the kids this way regularly (my daughter has been complaining for a while, which I haven’t paid much attention to admittedly - new school, bedding in period), then no wonder she wants to drop history (used to be her favourite subject in the old school).

Surely if she needs to learn paragraph structuring this would have been picked up in the old school and even in this school in English. I’m concerned at rudeness/sarcasm being used as an educating tool. Think any issues we need to work together to sort them out, but it would be helpful to identify what they are first?

My DD was bullied in previous school so it’s impacting how I view things in this one.

OP posts:
partystress · 12/11/2021 20:03

Learn how to start a paragraph sounds like a perfectly normal target. It is very common to set targets in books and then later acknowledge when they have been met.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 12/11/2021 20:07

It's not rudeness or sarcasm. It's a target. If she doesn't know, then she does need to learn. I doubt it will make much difference to her results in History but it certainly will in English Language.

cansu · 12/11/2021 20:07

You are reading sarcasm into something where it is actually feedback.

SockFluffInTheBath · 12/11/2021 20:08

It very much depends on the tone you attach. There could be a standard list of instructions/suggestions the teacher dollops out, they can’t seriously have the space or time to write ‘dear x this would have been even better if your paragraphing was more elegant’. Not sure how you detect sarcasm here, quite possibly you’re trying to project your own experience into your child’s.

Tillymintpolo · 12/11/2021 20:08

You’re being ridiculous

Pinkflask · 12/11/2021 20:09

It’s extremely unlikely that the subject of paragraphs has never been encountered up until now so the teacher is hardly going to start teaching the topic in the comments of a test are they?

iwishiwasafish · 12/11/2021 20:13

I’m going to go against the flow. DS had similar with a teacher in a subject he previously loved and did well in. I suggest you speak to the pastoral teacher. I did and it was very insightful (basically the teacher was a bully). DS dropped the class and has been much happier and less stressed.

TabithaTumbler · 12/11/2021 20:17

What? Confused

LettertoHermoine · 12/11/2021 20:18

I don't think it was meant in a bad way, just an instruction.

Maflingo · 12/11/2021 20:18

Well it is feedback, but quite blunt I think. How old is your DD? Have they covered essay writing/paragraph structuring etc in class, and the teacher feels she should know this skill already?
I moved schools after year 7 and the new school had already covered this in year 7 and my old school hadn’t so I spent quite a long time with similar feedback!
Perhaps ask her English teacher for any guidance on what she should be able to do before judging whether the history teacher was rude or not.

lanthanum · 12/11/2021 20:21

I don't think you can know from what is in the book whether the comment was appropriate.

Possibly there's a poster on the classroom wall about how to structure a paragraph (I've seen them). Sometimes teachers write brief comments in the books and spend time in the lesson amplifying them: "For those of you who have a comment about starting paragraphs, this is how to go about it..."

If you're going to do anything, first check whether your daughter knows what the teacher means. If not, then contact the teacher and say that she's not sure, and can he point her/you at any guidance, or perhaps take a couple of minutes in a lesson to explain to her.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 12/11/2021 20:22

I usually write: please write in paragraphs

RosesAndHellebores · 12/11/2021 20:22

I don't think it's remotely motivating. It's an issue that needs to be remedied but the teacher needs to suggest a solution re the remedy. It's an inappropriate way to provide feedback imo.

What's APD?

HeyDuddy · 12/11/2021 20:23

I used to be a history teacher before having kids and that feedback is poor. It should be constructive and that comment is not something a child can achieve without help. Check back and see if they have covered how to write a paragraph in history- it’s actually not the same as in English. They will be starting to introduce the idea of history essay writing. The first sentence should be a statement outlining what she is going to say basically. Then she presents the evidence and explains it, and then ends with a conclusion sentence. There’s a bit more to it than that but I hope that helps her get some direction. I would ask the teacher to go over how to structure a paragraph in history.

Original poster
Faultymain5 · 12/11/2021 20:27

@partystress

Learn how to start a paragraph sounds like a perfectly normal target. It is very common to set targets in books and then later acknowledge when they have been met.
Sorry it was on the test itself the form that my daughter signed was stapled to the book. That wasn’t clear on my point. She’s in Year 9, so that’s why I thought it was unhelpful/sarcasm.

Might have been helpful if I put that in the first place.

OP posts:
museumum · 12/11/2021 20:29

Are there rules about how to start a paragraph? I work in a professional role which believe it or not involves writing but I honestly don’t know what would be expected by this.

Original poster
Faultymain5 · 12/11/2021 20:29

@cansu

You are reading sarcasm into something where it is actually feedback.
Sorry I haven’t been offered helpful feedback that read like that which is why I thought I’d ask teachers. As I could be missing context. .
OP posts:
PAFMO · 12/11/2021 20:31

It's a learning aim.
They're often written as imperatives.
If she's year 9 it's probably a reminder aim.
If you think she is behind/struggling, make an appointment and tell the teacher you've noticed the feedback isn't excellent and there are learning aims/targets that maybe your daughter needs further help in.

Original poster
Faultymain5 · 12/11/2021 20:35

@SockFluffInTheBath

It very much depends on the tone you attach. There could be a standard list of instructions/suggestions the teacher dollops out, they can’t seriously have the space or time to write ‘dear x this would have been even better if your paragraphing was more elegant’. Not sure how you detect sarcasm here, quite possibly you’re trying to project your own experience into your child’s.
Yes I thought I could be attaching my previous experience into this. Except it’s not the first time that things have been said about this teacher’s tone. There was definitely space to write something like “think about paragraph structure”. Loads of space. I’m clearly no teacher and will defer to your knowledge though.
OP posts:
Original poster
Faultymain5 · 12/11/2021 20:37

@Tillymintpolo

You’re being ridiculous
Thank you for your helpful and goddamn insightful reply. Do me a favour say nothing of you have nothing sensible to add.

This is neither AIBU and I sure as hell didn’t give you an Am being ridiculous option. So I beg you do keep it moving.

OP posts:
NursieBernard · 12/11/2021 20:41

'Learn how to start a paragraph' How is going to learn this or is she meant to teach herself? How is that kind of comment helpful without any further help or instruction.

Original poster
Faultymain5 · 12/11/2021 20:42

@Pinkflask

It’s extremely unlikely that the subject of paragraphs has never been encountered up until now so the teacher is hardly going to start teaching the topic in the comments of a test are they?
So telling someone to learn something they don’t seem to have knowledge is helpful then? Not a see me later, remember to…. whatever just learn it and know where to look without my telling you. As another poster says there could be guidance on walls for all I know, just doesn’t seem a helpful comment on its own.
OP posts:
Tillymintpolo · 12/11/2021 20:42

I’ve been a teacher for 24 years op, you’re being ridiculous

Bellyups · 12/11/2021 20:42

I think the teacher was pointing it out in a blunt way, that she should, in year 9, be using paragraphs.

PAFMO · 12/11/2021 20:43

@NursieBernard

'Learn how to start a paragraph' How is going to learn this or is she meant to teach herself? How is that kind of comment helpful without any further help or instruction.
Because it will be one of several recognised learning aims that the teacher has to implement for the class.