Guest Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I went on the PEAL training today and really enjoyed it. On the way home on the bus there were two young women behind me, student teachers. One was reading out the work some of the children on her placement had done, stories by the sound of it, and she was making comments. Whilst discussing one particular child's work their conversation went like this: "How do you spell adventurous? Is it adventrus?" "No, I think it's adventorous." "That doesn't look right. Oh well never mind she will know what I mean." Oh my goodness! There is no hope for these poor children with role models like that! Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 That's very sad. Sunnyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 but not surprising I hope they weren't marking the work on the bus... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 not to even mention 'confidentiality' issues then!!! ......but as I wasn't there I suppose they may have respected this xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 It's appalling, the standard of spelling among some teachers and 'educationalists' (for want of a better word) I can remember going into a classroom where a student teacher had put up a big display, 'could of' and 'should of' featured quite prominently, as did 'wants washed'. I was scandalised! WHAT must parents think!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I think they were marking the work-they were certainly having a good giggle about what the children had written. No names were mentioned but I was very tempted to turn round and correct their spelling mistake and ask them if they felt it was appropriate to be doing this on the bus. Just too tired after a long day. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 'wants washed'. What's this one all about..I don't get it??!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 It really annoys me when my childrens' teachers don't correct spelling in their work. The kids tell me "It doesn't matter cos it's not literacy"! Glad you enjoyed the training. Was it in Manchester at the MacDonald hotel by any chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 It needs to be washed, it wants washing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Aha...never heard that one before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Neither had I before I came to West Cumbria! It seems a local colloquialism to abbreviate the adjective, so 'it wants washed' or 'it needs switched off' etc. bizarre. When we had an ofsted a few years ago, he asked if I had any staff who could help with EAL children, so I said that I had 2 members of staff from the village who could help ME with dialect! haha - made him smile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 That reminds me......... On a year 2 wall display about materials 'metel kunt brake' - phonetically plausible I know but pl..e..a..se! Sunnyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 it's embarrassing, isn't it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 That reminds me......... On a year 2 wall display about materials 'metel kunt brake' - phonetically plausible I know but pl..e..a..se! Sunnyday Should have made that clear - child not teacher! Sunnyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Ah well, not so bad perhaps. Possibly inclusion then, you could argue, making every child feel valued. But still........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Ah well, not so bad perhaps. Possibly inclusion then, you could argue, making every child feel valued. But still........ I know what you mean - but a three word sentence - would it not have been possible to give the child heaps of praise and then give some gentle guidance re. spelling? It just bothers me that we are on a slippery slope. Sunnyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 It just bothers me that we are on a slippery slope. At the fat end of the wedge, perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I was feeling pretty relaxed until I stumbled upon this little thread... Literacy levels in teaching these days are absolutely shocking! The amount of times I have read a letter from my daughter's school and marked it up with corrections to spelling mistakes is almost beyond belief. As for secondary schools, don't even start me on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 It really annoys me when my childrens' teachers don't correct spelling in their work. The kids tell me "It doesn't matter cos it's not literacy"! Exactly what my children used to say, unfortunatly it included grammer. When my eldest needs to apply for jobs or uni., or even when he's doing course work I make sure I proof read it. Shocking that teachers dont get it right isnt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Mu daughter is in her final year of an English degree. By her own admission (which she couldn't deny in any case as the evidence was there for all to see!) her spelling and grammar when she left school was diabolical. She has had to read extensively for her degree and thankfully her literacy levels have improved dramatically, but what a sad state of affairs that she managed to get a 'B' grade in Advanced English (Scottish)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I was feeling pretty relaxed until I stumbled upon this little thread... Literacy levels in teaching these days are absolutely shocking! The amount of times I have read a letter from my daughter's school and marked it up with corrections to spelling mistakes is almost beyond belief. As for secondary schools, don't even start me on that! Sorry DaddyDayCare - if I contributed to spoiling your relaxed mood! Sunnyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 At the fat end of the wedge, perhaps? Hehe!!! Sunnyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 It really annoys me when my childrens' teachers don't correct spelling in their work. The kids tell me "It doesn't matter cos it's not literacy"! Glad you enjoyed the training. Was it in Manchester at the MacDonald hotel by any chance? [/quot I must start by stating that I am dyslexic Last evening I attended a meeting where we had a discussion about profiles and observations and I said that the children's files of work and observations were available to my parnets the children and the staff and all made contributions to them - I did say that when I explained to parents that they were free to look at, share and add things to their children's files that the observations made are 'in the raw' and not always grammartically correct and that they could either underline the mistakes or laugh at them either way I was not going to take home observatons to make sure that they were all spelt correctly - life is just too short - after the meeting someone approached me and said well done for being brave. my point excellent spelling and grammar are very important in formal situations but hey sometimes just getting it down on paper is great g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplewednesday1 Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I know I'm old fashioned ... but .... what happened to marking the work with the child? i know that the best marking experiences both for me and the children in my class was when we huddled together and marked things between us - we giggled about their mistakes and they remembered my comments because it was a positive experience. I only didn't do that when marking SATs papers (but don't get me started on that). In response to the 'metel kunt brake' spelling earlier ... I have many happy memories of seeing Year 1 children write about King Canute in their writing books! Made the parents' hair stand on end come parents' evening!! pw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmajess Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 my point excellent spelling and grammar are very important in formal situations but hey sometimes just getting it down on paper is greatg That's a really great point and I'm so glad you said it! Spelling and punctuation are just about the only things I'm really really good at, but as I've got older, I've come to realise that being able to spell is so far from being the be all and end all. Teachers are just normal people, after all and have normal strengths and weaknesses. I am a terrible athlete, gymnast and dancer but I still do my best to teach athletics, gymnastics and dance to the children in my class! I think the important thing is that teachers are aware of the things they find difficult and honestly talk about these with the children - it helps the children feel more at ease with their own difficulties if they know their teacher finds some things tricky as well and more motivated to try their best even if it isn't easy. If teachers are aware that their spelling isn't that hot, they should be professional enough to proof-read displays and letters etc carefully. I know many teachers who do just this. My own experience as literacy coordinator is that some of the best literacy teachers did not find literacy super-easy at school and are thus able to put themselves into the children's position more easily and break things down into the necessary small steps. Having said all this, when I was on a teaching practice a teacher had a display up in her classroom entitled 'umberellas'! Ouch, I stubbed my toe getting down from my soapbox!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I think my moan about these two students was not that they couldn't spell-we all have those words we have difficulty with-but the fact that, although they knew it was misspelled, it was ok to leave it that way. It was their attitude towards the children I felt was wrong-it doesn't really matter. The girl who was marking the work could quite easily have not written the comment, gone back and checked on the correct spelling and then made the comment on the work. And yes, I agree correct spelling is not the be all and end all but surely being a good role model is. These two had no regard for the children's confidentiality or respect for their work. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Absolutely! I fully agree with you. What if you were the Mum of one of the girls? How dare they be so cavalier in their disregard for confidentiality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I think the important thing is that teachers are aware of the things they find difficult and honestly talk about these with the children - it helps the children feel more at ease with their own difficulties if they know their teacher finds some things tricky as well and more motivated to try their best even if it isn't easy. This is quite a powerful realisation for children, and I remember experiencing something similar with what turned out to be my favourite teacher who taught me English. He asked for volunteers to read out loud to the class and explained that he would never make anyone read to the class because of an experience he had when he was at school. He stumbled over the word ocean and instead of pronouncing it "oshun" he pronounced it "oke-e-un" and everyone inclluding the teacher laughed at him. He said that he never forgot how humiliated he felt and vowed never to make anyone feel the same way. From that point on we felt he understood us more than most teachers, and we could relax and not be worried that our every mistake would be pounced on or ridiculed which sadly was often the case with other teachers (hence my maths phobia!). On a lighter note, MrsWeasley and I visited the 99p shop again this evening and saw a 'lovely' hand blown glass ornament inscribed "specail mum". Oh dear. Wonder how many they made, and how many have been sold to unsuspecting punters? Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 were there any special soapy doo dahs left? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 were there any special soapy doo dahs left? No! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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