When teacher makes mistakes. All the time

[Anonymous]

My DC's HS foreign language teacher constantly makes pretty serious errors in the language s/he teaches. As someone fluent in the said language, but not a naive speaker, I know that occasional mistakes/typos happen (I am sure there will be some in this posting!). However, this particular teacher makes many, many mistakes in pretty much every prompt/assignment s/he provides. The latest was in the mid-term assignment -- to the point that my DC actually pointed it out to me. What would you do? I am reluctant to complain to the administration (which has not been not very responsive at this articular school), but nor can I figure out how to bring it up gently with the teacher directly? Or should I just let it go and not worry about it?

[Anonymous]

My child's third grade teacher in a top-rated FCPS consistently made spelling errors in every form of written communication, to include spelling lists (!) and printed labels on classroom materials (Tresure Box).

I systematically returned spelling lists back to the teacher with a Post It note attached pointing out the errors. No response, no improvement. I gathered a few of the most egregious examples, left them in an envelope in the principal's mailbox with my own note that this was a FYI and a concern.

Unsure what exactly happened, but the classroom labels in question were removed and corrected and the teacher sent a form letter note apologizing for typographical errors. Teacher also began using mass-produced worksheets.

[Anonymous]

Good for you! Shaming an adult!! Glad to see we have perfect people out there.

[Anonymous]

I do not understand hating on the teachers. My sister is a severely dyslexic, but very enthusiastic English teacher. When I see threads like this, making fun of errors in teacher communications, I think it is just petty, and again competitive. I guess it's what some people need to feel good about themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand hating on the teachers. My sister is a severely dyslexic, but very enthusiastic English teacher. When I see threads like this, making fun of errors in teacher communications, I think it is just petty, and again competitive. I guess it's what some people need to feel good about themselves.

Teachers are supposed to teach the next generation. In their job, spelling and accuracy count. If that's not something that a teacher is good at they need to work on that skill. Would it be acceptable to you if your accountant consistently made mathematical errors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand hating on the teachers. My sister is a severely dyslexic, but very enthusiastic English teacher. When I see threads like this, making fun of errors in teacher communications, I think it is just petty, and again competitive. I guess it's what some people need to feel good about themselves.

Teachers are supposed to teach the next generation. In their job, spelling and accuracy count. If that's not something that a teacher is good at they need to work on that skill. Would it be acceptable to you if your accountant consistently made mathematical errors?

or your surgeon to make surgery errors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand hating on the teachers. My sister is a severely dyslexic, but very enthusiastic English teacher. When I see threads like this, making fun of errors in teacher communications, I think it is just petty, and again competitive. I guess it's what some people need to feel good about themselves.

Teachers are supposed to teach the next generation. In their job, spelling and accuracy count. If that's not something that a teacher is good at they need to work on that skill. Would it be acceptable to you if your accountant consistently made mathematical errors?

or your surgeon to make surgery errors?

Better analogy, if your surgeon had trouble understanding anatomy. Or your interior designer was colorblind.


Look, defenders: I don't care if my surgeon struggles with spelling/grammar, or if my kid's English teacher is shaky on his anatomy (or is color blind). Bit no, TEACHERS don't get a pass on competency in their core areas. Even if they're dyslexic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand hating on the teachers. My sister is a severely dyslexic, but very enthusiastic English teacher. When I see threads like this, making fun of errors in teacher communications, I think it is just petty, and again competitive. I guess it's what some people need to feel good about themselves.

I don't see anyone 'making fun' of teachers' errors. It's a serious problem if a teacher makes spelling and grammatical errors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand hating on the teachers. My sister is a severely dyslexic, but very enthusiastic English teacher. When I see threads like this, making fun of errors in teacher communications, I think it is just petty, and again competitive. I guess it's what some people need to feel good about themselves.

I don't see anyone 'making fun' of teachers' errors. It's a serious problem if a teacher makes spelling and grammatical errors.

+1 You can't send home spelling lists with spelling errors. Period. I'm not making fun of anyone with a learning disability.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I am certainly not making fun of the teacher, nor shame her, nor am I ready to march into the principle's office. But a foreign language teacher, whose job is to teach my DC a foreign language, and who grades my DC on the errors DC makes, and who consistently makes egregious mistakes (which are clearly not just typos) is a concern. What I am asking is, is there a gentle way to point this out to her, to printout that these do not go unnoticed, and to ask her to do a better job proofreading/ask a colleague to proofread before handing her texts to the students? I am also obviously worried that if I do bring it up to her she ale take her anger (at me) on my DS.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't bring it up unless she is incorrectly grading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am certainly not making fun of the teacher, nor shame her, nor am I ready to march into the principle's office. But a foreign language teacher, whose job is to teach my DC a foreign language, and who grades my DC on the errors DC makes, and who consistently makes egregious mistakes (which are clearly not just typos) is a concern. What I am asking is, is there a gentle way to point this out to her, to printout that these do not go unnoticed, and to ask her to do a better job proofreading/ask a colleague to proofread before handing her texts to the students? I am also obviously worried that if I do bring it up to her she ale take her anger (at me) on my DS.

Don't you mean march into the princiPAL's office? BOOM!

[Anonymous]

Teachers in our highly-rated FCPS (elementary) routinely make errors in spelling, to say nothing of apostrophe errors. It makes me crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am certainly not making fun of the teacher, nor shame her, nor am I ready to march into the principle's office. But a foreign language teacher, whose job is to teach my DC a foreign language, and who grades my DC on the errors DC makes, and who consistently makes egregious mistakes (which are clearly not just typos) is a concern. What I am asking is, is there a gentle way to point this out to her, to printout that these do not go unnoticed, and to ask her to do a better job proofreading/ask a colleague to proofread before handing her texts to the students? I am also obviously worried that if I do bring it up to her she ale take her anger (at me) on my DS.

Don't you mean march into the princiPAL's office? BOOM!

OP here. Haha. As I said, my post will probably have some typos!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand hating on the teachers. My sister is a severely dyslexic, but very enthusiastic English teacher. When I see threads like this, making fun of errors in teacher communications, I think it is just petty, and again competitive. I guess it's what some people need to feel good about themselves.

But then it's your sister's responsibility to figure out ways to accommodate her disability: get someone to proofread, use dictation or word prediction software, etc. Sending out stuff full of multiple typos/mistakes just isn't professional.