High school science teacher suggests grammatically incorrect title on paper

[Anonymous]

No need to drag more people into this. On the next draft/final paper, your kid should stick with the title she knows is correct. The teacher might not even mark it again, having had a temporary brain fart before or having since realized the mistake. If teacher does deduct points, then your kid should speak up (to teacher, not principal, not English teacher) with proof from Grammar Girl or whatever.

[Anonymous]

She should give her English teacher the paper (preferably when there are other teachers around) and ask her to please educate her colleague.

[Anonymous]

Ask, but don't be a jerk about it. "Could you explain why you changed that to 'affect'? I double checked in the dictionary and 'effect' seems correct." Chances are the teacher will realize the mistake - they are grading hundreds of papers. If not, then they can have further discussion.

[Anonymous]

I disagree with those who suggest having your child advocate for herself. There are many teachers who don't want to be corrected by a student. Unless you know that this teacher is not one of them, I would not have her advocate for herself without proof that she can bring in. The dictionary comment is the only one that I would advocate your daughter do herself. Otherwise, I would get the assistance of an adult, whether you, the mother, or the English teacher I would send an email saying that your daughter showed you this correction and was confused because she had it correct. I would say that I verified via <source> and she did have the correct word. Even though I know it myself, I would cite a reference that confirmed what both my child and I knew. I would just say that my daughter was leaving the title as she originally had it for the final copy without a request for a response and this message was just to let her know.

[Anonymous]

I forgot to add the bolded.

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with those who suggest having your child advocate for herself. There are many teachers who don't want to be corrected by a student. Unless you know that this teacher is not one of them, I would not have her advocate for herself without proof that she can bring in. Such teachers can often be vindictive towards a student that embarrasses or corrects them. The dictionary comment is the only one that I would advocate your daughter do herself. Otherwise, I would get the assistance of an adult, whether you, the mother, or the English teacher I would send an email saying that your daughter showed you this correction and was confused because she had it correct. I would say that I verified via <source> and she did have the correct word. Even though I know it myself, I would cite a reference that confirmed what both my child and I knew. I would just say that my daughter was leaving the title as she originally had it for the final copy without a request for a response and this message was just to let her know.

[Anonymous]

I understand what PP is saying, but let's assume the teacher is not like that. Like anything else in life, there are several ways to approach this--hopefully without offending or embarrassing anyone.

1. Please don't bring the English teacher into this.
2. Suggestion: Can DD change the title to something like this: How xxx Affects yyy? Just a thought--kind of a roundabout way of not offending anyone.

3. If changing the title around is not an alternative, then DD should go to the teacher and tell her that she had been confused about the title herself and had looked up the word --and the "effect" is the noun.

4. Do not go to the principal over this. Pick your battles. What is he/she going to do? Fire the teacher? Go to the teacher and tell her that she cannot spell and she needs to learn? (if she cannot spell by now, that is not likely to change) If, after DD goes to the teacher and gets pushback, then going to the principal is correct--but, that would be over the pushback-not the initial error.

It is possible that the teacher was tired and just not thinking. It is also possible that she had help from an aide in checking the papers (kind of unlikely, though). She might not even recall changing the title.

[Anonymous]

Any chance this has something to do with psychology? I just looked it up and "affect" can be a noun in some cases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any chance this has something to do with psychology? I just looked it up and "affect" can be a noun in some cases.

"Affect" in psychology is a completely different term referring to one's expression (such as a "flat affect" in one's speech), accent on the first syllable.
The student was correct and could very respectfully do one of two things: 1. just quietly go on and do what she knows to be right with the final product and turn it in; or 2. politely and naively feign confusion to ask the teacher privately about it, saying she was a bit confused - she thought "affect" was the verb and "effect" was the noun, and is the noun not appropriate in this structure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I forgot to add the bolded.

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with those who suggest having your child advocate for herself. There are many teachers who don't want to be corrected by a student. Unless you know that this teacher is not one of them, I would not have her advocate for herself without proof that she can bring in. Such teachers can often be vindictive towards a student that embarrasses or corrects them. The dictionary comment is the only one that I would advocate your daughter do herself. Otherwise, I would get the assistance of an adult, whether you, the mother, or the English teacher I would send an email saying that your daughter showed you this correction and was confused because she had it correct. I would say that I verified via <source> and she did have the correct word. Even though I know it myself, I would cite a reference that confirmed what both my child and I knew. I would just say that my daughter was leaving the title as she originally had it for the final copy without a request for a response and this message was just to let her know.

This. PARENT: go to the principal. If the student goes, there will be retaliation against the student, period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I forgot to add the bolded.

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with those who suggest having your child advocate for herself. There are many teachers who don't want to be corrected by a student. Unless you know that this teacher is not one of them, I would not have her advocate for herself without proof that she can bring in. Such teachers can often be vindictive towards a student that embarrasses or corrects them. The dictionary comment is the only one that I would advocate your daughter do herself. Otherwise, I would get the assistance of an adult, whether you, the mother, or the English teacher I would send an email saying that your daughter showed you this correction and was confused because she had it correct. I would say that I verified via <source> and she did have the correct word. Even though I know it myself, I would cite a reference that confirmed what both my child and I knew. I would just say that my daughter was leaving the title as she originally had it for the final copy without a request for a response and this message was just to let her know.

This. PARENT: go to the principal. If the student goes, there will be retaliation against the student, period.

The first thing the principal will likely ask is "have you talked to the teacher about this?" You will look like a fool. In fact, the principal will likely ask, "did your child talk to the teacher about this?"

This is an opportunity for your child to stand up for herself and what is right. Why would you assume the teacher is vindictive? Believe me, I was a teacher and I would have not resented a student pointing out (nicely) an error. What would I have resented? A parent going to the principal over a careless mistake--or, worse--pointing out a spelling error that I had made.

Believe me, the principal has bigger fish to fry than this.

If the teacher is vindictive and takes it out on your child, THEN go to the principal. That's a much different situation.

This is a learning opportunity for your child.

If people are respectful, most people are not vindictive.

[Anonymous]

This is not a big deal. Don't make it one. Tell you daughter to talk to the teacher and take a dictionary with her. I would suggest a "puzzled" approach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I forgot to add the bolded.

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with those who suggest having your child advocate for herself. There are many teachers who don't want to be corrected by a student. Unless you know that this teacher is not one of them, I would not have her advocate for herself without proof that she can bring in. Such teachers can often be vindictive towards a student that embarrasses or corrects them. The dictionary comment is the only one that I would advocate your daughter do herself. Otherwise, I would get the assistance of an adult, whether you, the mother, or the English teacher I would send an email saying that your daughter showed you this correction and was confused because she had it correct. I would say that I verified via <source> and she did have the correct word. Even though I know it myself, I would cite a reference that confirmed what both my child and I knew. I would just say that my daughter was leaving the title as she originally had it for the final copy without a request for a response and this message was just to let her know.

This. PARENT: go to the principal. If the student goes, there will be retaliation against the student, period.

The first thing the principal will likely ask is "have you talked to the teacher about this?" You will look like a fool. In fact, the principal will likely ask, "did your child talk to the teacher about this?"

This is an opportunity for your child to stand up for herself and what is right. Why would you assume the teacher is vindictive? Believe me, I was a teacher and I would have not resented a student pointing out (nicely) an error. What would I have resented? A parent going to the principal over a careless mistake--or, worse--pointing out a spelling error that I had made.

Believe me, the principal has bigger fish to fry than this.

If the teacher is vindictive and takes it out on your child, THEN go to the principal. That's a much different situation.

This is a learning opportunity for your child.

If people are respectful, most people are not vindictive.

Admin here. If I received such a complaint all future emails from that parent would be forwarded to my loony bin.

Some of the cows here need something to do. Perhaps a paying job?

[Anonymous]

The teacher should be better educated. Being educated is a requirement for her job. Principals or Admin (like above) who don't understand this don't deserve to be in their positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask, but don't be a jerk about it. "Could you explain why you changed that to 'affect'? I double checked in the dictionary and 'effect' seems correct." Chances are the teacher will realize the mistake - they are grading hundreds of papers. If not, then they can have further discussion.

THIS! The simplest way to both ask for clarification and not make it look as if your daughter is "showing up" the teacher. Just ask them to clarify why they made that change

[Anonymous]

On the positive side your child gets to learn to be diplomatic and can learn how not to be self righteous. A lesson much more important than correct grammar or a grade on s science paper.

Do you have s shoes that can help her with that... an aunt maybe... neighbor?