WWYD? Teacher using "themself" on the homework page.

[Schmeck]

No, that's what the secretary is for.

Every professor at a college has a secretary? No wonder tuition is so high!

 

[Scurvy]

I am wondering if the individuals that think/feel/elude that PrincessMom29 is less of a teacher because she has dyslexia has ever met a person that struggles with this disability? I would guess not, because if they did they would see how much harder people with dyslexia have to work to get good grades, etc. To put it simply, her work ethic and the lesson that can be learned about overcoming diversity far outweighs any spelling error.

Well I can't comment on PrincessMom29 (because I don't have a clue what she's like in the classroom) but I am one who said that those with disabilities that cause them to teach their subjects incorrectly shouldn't be teaching. My brother in law is dislexic and he is a teacher. He teaches a subject where spelling isn't as crucial as it is in English or Science. He also minimizes his mistakes by preparing as much as he can in advance and writing on the board as little as possible. He does not make mistakes with the terms he is supposed to be teaching because he does not write those terms on the board. He writes them out in advance and checks for errors before class.

I'm sure that he and those with similar disablities work very hard in school and have wonderful work ethics, and I am all for learning about overcoming diversity. I wouldn't want either of those things to overshadow my child's education, however. If they can teach their subject effectively and correctly, then they should be teaching. I would not want my child to be in a classroom with a teacher who repeatedly misspells the words that my child is supposed to be learning. The occasional mistake, especially if it involved an inconsequential word, wouldn't be a problem.

 

[brandylouwho]

To the OP, one mistake does not make her an incompetent teacher and you should definitely reserve judgment. While I do believe that teachers should do their absolute best to avoid mistakes in parent communication, (I am a teacher and this was hammered into us in college) if she doesn't think that there is anything wrong with themself then it's not a proofreading error, she wasn't being careless - she just doesn't know that it is incorrect. It's something that can easily be corrected and really did not affect comprehension.

Writers make up words or use them in different ways all the time, it's one of the main ways that language evolves over time. If English (the school subject) was only about spelling and grammar then no one would ever dare write - our language is too fraught with inconsistent rules - I think an English teacher that can inspire kids to enjoy writing, take chances with it, and be fearless in their endeavors with it, is worth her/his weight in gold and I would much rather my child have that teacher than the one that cares only about "proper" usage and perfection in spelling.

And YES, I do think that grammar and spelling are important - they help to create shared meaning - but they are not EVERYTHING!

Interesting discussion - it's always good to be reminded that parents are watching and analyzing everything we do - as they should, we are put in charge of their most valuable possessions. OP you are a good parent to be concerned, I just don't think you should be too quick to judge the teacher.

Oh, and I am sure that this post also has errors and if you point them out, I too think you are "douche-y"

 

[DaParkers]

While we're conversing about the misuse of the english language, I thought I would share this. Prego, Preggo, Preggers, and any variation of those words should be evaded at all costs! JUST STOP IT! Preggers isn't even shorter than pregnant, so just spell out the real word. Pretty please. Just for me. And BTW, prego is a spaghetti sauce.

 

[kevschickee]

While we're conversing about the misuse of the english language, I thought I would share this. Prego, Preggo, Preggers, and any variation of those words should be evaded at all costs! JUST STOP IT! Preggers isn't even shorter than pregnant, so just spell out the real word. Pretty please. Just for me. And BTW, prego is a spaghetti sauce.

that bothers me too

 

[rgf207]

While we're conversing about the misuse of the english language, I thought I would share this. Prego, Preggo, Preggers, and any variation of those words should be evaded at all costs! JUST STOP IT! Preggers isn't even shorter than pregnant, so just spell out the real word. Pretty please. Just for me. And BTW, prego is a spaghetti sauce.

It's also Italian for "You're welcome"

Also, I think "ressies" is not proper either

 

[amandelba]

While we're at it have they replaced Ragalan Road with O'Hana's? Since it's not an Irish Pub, it would be nice if posters called it 'Ohana.

My non-DIS pet peave is the misuse of the word "myself". It has become so common around here and it drives me nuts; almost as nuts as the use of quotation marks on signs in store windows. An example of this is, "If you have any questions, please contact Janet or myself". Urrrgh.

 

[Kallista]

Every professor at a college has a secretary? No wonder tuition is so high!

LOL

Not a separate secretary. They usually share secretaries with other professors.

I write a lot of stuff for my job. I proof read my own stuff, but I also hand it to at least two other people to proof read before it goes out. The second person is always the secretary who is formatting it and copying it.

Professional writers use editors and proof readers. Professional printers use proof readers.

Everyone makes mistakes in their writing. They're hard to see if you're the person who wrote it. If you're a teacher, you don't have access to a proof reader or secretary to help you. It seems unfair to me to rank on a teacher (with a teacher's limited resources) when it takes at least 2-3 readers to make sure a professional writer's work has no mistakes in it.

If a parent is that sure that the teacher is an idiot, and that the parent is a "mistake-free" human, maybe that parent should home school their kids.

 

[allyphoe]

Also, I think "ressies" is not proper either

"Vaycay" / "vaca" / "vacay." Ugh.

Parents have a much longer-lasting and deeper-seated impact on their children's grammar than any one teacher could possibly have. If you model good grammar, and correct your children's errors (as well as errors they're exposed to when socially appropriate - so when watching TV, but not when in conversation with an adult who misspeaks), your children will grow up using good grammar regardless of their teachers. If you model poor grammar, your child might overcome that, but one teacher who uses poor grammar is not the hurdle holding your kid back.

I personally never point out or correct my kid's teachers' errors. If you've made it to adulthood without learning the finer points of the English language, odds are you aren't going to pick them up from having random people publicly correct you. DD6 gets corrected about every 10th sentence out of her mouth, because 6yos still have trouble with irregular verbs.

 

[Shelton123]

Common maybe , but OP is right. THEM is plural so it would be THEMSELVES. The singular form should be HIMSELF/HERSELF.

I taught high school and it is pretty easy to miss things when you are in a hurry. Math teachers make errors all the time (dropping a negative sign) but it doesn't disqualify them from being competent. So too with English teachers. I know that I made lots of errors and even rewarded students for pointing them out kindly. A teacher should not be above reproach or unapproachable. If it bothers you, mention it (preferably in passing).

Sorry, them/they is NOT always plural.

"Look at that person, THEY'RE wearing a green shirt"

That is correct grammar. So the word themself could be correct grammar when used in the proper context.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

Sorry, them/they is NOT always plural.

"Look at that person, THEY'RE wearing a green shirt"

That is correct grammar. So the word themself could be correct grammar when used in the proper context.

That is common usage, not correct grammar. Common usage and correct grammar are not always the same. Saying He's or She's would be correct if you are speaking of a single person.

 

[Schmeck]

Sorry, them/they is NOT always plural.

"Look at that person, THEY'RE wearing a green shirt"

That is correct grammar. So the word themself could be correct grammar when used in the proper context.

Ahhhhh, no, that is not correct. "Look at that person, HE is wearing a green shirt" is correct.

BTW, I have no problem with having a teacher with dyslexia teach my children as long as that teacher does not expect the children to correct the spelling mistakes. As long as the teacher takes the time to provide the correct spelling of all terms (as a PP pointed out) and the children know that there will be mistakes on the board, then I think it would actually be a good learning experience for the kids. That scenario wasn't outlined in the first discussion though - just that the kids had to correct the teacher.

 

[DaParkers]

It's also Italian for "You're welcome"

Also, I think "ressies" is not proper either

 

[princessmom29]

Ahhhhh, no, that is not correct. "Look at that person, HE is wearing a green shirt" is correct.

BTW, I have no problem with having a teacher with dyslexia teach my children as long as that teacher does not expect the children to correct the spelling mistakes. As long as the teacher takes the time to provide the correct spelling of all terms (as a PP pointed out) and the children know that there will be mistakes on the board, then I think it would actually be a good learning experience for the kids. That scenario wasn't outlined in the first discussion though - just that the kids had to correct the teacher.

Actually what i said was that they were welcome to correct me, not that they had to. You came up with that one on your own.

 

[Schmeck]

Actually what i said was that they were welcome to correct me, not that they had to. You came up with that one on your own.

But do you give the correct spelling before you start the class so that they know it beforehand, or is the burden of getting the correct information on them? That's my main point - the teacher should be giving out the correct information - the students should not be expected to have to correct the teacher without the information in front of them.

When the child is taking a test, what is the consequence of having a misspelled word on the test? I would assume that for your class, spelling doesn't count, but here in MA we have essay questions on our standardized science MCAS exams.

 

[princessmom29]

But do you give the correct spelling before you start the class so that they know it beforehand, or is the burden of getting the correct information on them? That's my main point - the teacher should be giving out the correct information - the students should not be expected to have to correct the teacher without the information in front of them.

When the child is taking a test, what is the consequence of having a misspelled word on the test? I would assume that for your class, spelling doesn't count, but here in MA we have essay questions on our standardized science MCAS exams.

If they do not know the correct spelling of common English words they have a dictionary to use. I very rarely misspell a scientific term it is more of the common things like thier instead of their or nad instead of and, and only when I am doing something in a hurry and on the fly. It is obvious that it is a mistake and easily corrected. They really should know how to spell these by now, unless they have a disability like mine. I know the coreect spellings and when I take a step back and look at what I just wrote I see it and fix it. It just a matter of my brain and my hand not communicating well and switching things around. And no, I am not an English teacher so i do not count off for misspellings on a test. I may note the correct spelling on the student's paper, but everyone makes an occasional mistake especially with the amout of completely new vocabulary in science classes. I am done trying to justify myself to someone who doesn't even know me. I really shoud have stopped long ago, but the attitude that someone with a disability is any less that someone without really ticks me off. I know in our district they grade standardized science essays for content. They will count off for grammar that interferes with the understanding of the passage, but never for a simple misspelling.

 

[BlondeAlligator]

You do realize that there are learning disabilities that can prevent someone from always writing/spelling everything perfectly? You don't think her explaining to her students about her disability is a teaching opportunity for them? What if one of her students has a learning disability? Maybe that student will say, "Look what I can do!" from watching his/her teacher be successful in spite of a disability. She may be the best teacher there is in her subject area, but it sounds like you would never be able to get past a misspelled word.

It has nothing to do with competency. It has to do with not expecting everyone to be perfect at everything, and having the ability to recognize differences, strengths and weaknesses and accepting them in others.

Bravo!!!

 

[Kriii]

I think this is amazing - I am very grateful that you are not my children's science teacher, as I am wondering how someone could get certified to be a competent science teacher if he or she has a disability that requires the students to have to make consistent corrections. That should not be part of a student's burden, to have to correct the teacher's spelling!

What a cruel thing to say! This poster's learning disability with spelling has nothing to do with his or her ability to be a good instructor of science! The poster should be commended for persevering towards becoming a science teacher DESPITE the disability. Also, BTW, it would be illegal to discriminate against hiring this person due to the disability.

 

[pinktink83]

What does this have to do with Disney for Families? I dont visit this board very much, is this sort of OT post common here? Even if it is, this one has spiraled into something very unpleasant. Where are the mods? There are plenty of message boards on the internet for OT chit chat...I dont think this belongs here at all.

 

[Scurvy]

I am done trying to justify myself to someone who doesn't even know me. I really shoud have stopped long ago, but the attitude that someone with a disability is any less that someone without really ticks me off.

Of course someone with a disability is not worth less than someone without! It would be terrible for someone to even suggest such a thing. But I haven't seen anyone on this thread suggest that.

My son's color blindness doesn't make him any less valuable than anyone else. But there are some jobs that he simply can't do. Not everyone can teach, for a variety of reasons. It doesn't mean that they are worth less than other people - it means that teaching isn't the job for them.

As for Kriii's point about the legality of not hiring someone because of a disability - of course you can't refuse to hire someone (and can't choose to fire them) simply because they have a disablility. That's totally illegal. You can refuse to hire them (or choose to fire them) because they are incapable of performing the job. My son can never be hired to do some things and the fact that he has a disability of sorts doesn't mean that he must be hired anyway, even if he can't do the job. If a teacher can't adequately teach her students, she shouldn't be in the classroom even if the reason she can't do the job is a disability.