Does Your Child Go To A Proper School Or An Academy?

GobbledyGook

masonn wrote: »

Excersize? oops :rotfl:

Am I the only one that always does that while moaning about someone else's spelling or grammar? :rotfl:

Mr_Toad

GobbledyGook wrote: »

Am I the only one that always does that while moaning about someone else's spelling or grammar? :rotfl:

No, it happens to me all the time and always when you'd rather it didn't.

I have to say it made me smile and think there, or should that be their, for the grace of God....

puddy

Janepig wrote: »

I'm sure the people who type the reports I have to hand in to Court think they're perfect - they should anyway, because theoretically you should only be signing it off once you feel it's perfect, but as I say, to my eye they are far from it.

A lot lot of it is because a while ago, reports used to be handwritten, then given over to a secretary for typing, so it didn't matter that the author had bad spelling, grammar, etc... the secretary's job was to type it up and neaten, correct, etc... as they went. Of course, that doesn't happen any more, the author will also be the typist, and just because we're all bred to have good touch typing skills now, doesn't mean we've all got the ability to type up a presentable piece of work. And worse it's going to get!

Yes, generally speaking my texts aren't abbreviated, but they're usually pretty short anyway. And I don't post anything on here unless I've read it through once, maybe twice . I really can't stand trying to decipher stuff that would make so much more sense with a bit of punctuation in the right place.

Jx

a secretary, the luxury! ive read some terrible statements in the past, really badly written but i have assumed that they were written as the statement was given, so are in the applicants own words if you see what i mean

are you in legal or social work?

mine have to be perfect as they are not via a supervisor or legal team, they are commissioned pieces so i dont have the team to fall back on. having said that, i have just changed to an employed post so my work is now supervised!

i have to say, i barely read anything i type on here

puddy

GobbledyGook wrote: »

Part of the issue with the spelling and grammar today is that it is not reinforced anywhere near as strongly. In some creative writing sessions children are not picked up on their spelling or punctuation because the point of the excersize is the creativity. Now you don't want to make children who struggle with the basics hate it if they have a good creative brain, but you should (imo) at least show them their errors even if you do not deduct marks for the creative effort.

I think that spelling, punctuation and grammar are things that should be enforced and corrected throughout all lessons, otherwise children think that such things are only important in their English lessons.

Another issue, which will only grow it seems, is the inability to spell or punctuate correctly in younger teachers. Also the over reliance on the computer spell checker to pick up mistakes. I received a note from my younger daughter's teacher that asked us to "Please remind the children not to leave there coats on the benches when its a rain day.". She might have been a qualified teacher, but I was mighty relieved to see her go off on maternity leave. Some of the other parents complained about her, but most were happy with her because she was nice and the kids loved her.

but why is that?

Janepig

puddy wrote: »

a secretary, the luxury! ive read some terrible statements in the past, really badly written but i have assumed that they were written as the statement was given, so are in the applicants own words if you see what i mean

are you in legal or social work?

mine have to be perfect as they are not via a supervisor or legal team, they are commissioned pieces so i dont have the team to fall back on. having said that, i have just changed to an employed post so my work is now supervised!

i have to say, i barely read anything i type on here

Legal. If I put anything slang-ish in my reports, ie, that I might want to quote something directly that the Defendant has told me, then I'd use quotation marks to make that clear, so you wouldn't be wondering whether it was me, or a statement from the Defendant. If that makes sense.

Reports are supposed to be "gatekept" by managers, but they are usually as clueless as the authors, so it makes little or no difference.

Jx

GobbledyGook

puddy wrote: »

but why is that?

Why is it getting worse or why is it not reinforced?


I think it's all part of a viscious circle. Children don't need their spelling and grammar to be correct in History work, or business studies essays because the point of those lessons is to demonstrate their knowledge of the specific subject. However this means that these things are not corrected except for in their English lessons. That's a very small part of the day/curriculum. It means that they are not having them reinforced for the majority of the time.

In turn that also means that teachers, perhaps especially if spelling and grammar is not something that comes easy to them, can get away with being a wee bit lazy. Their spelling and grammar slips and so the cycle goes on.

I should say, having worked in a school background, I'm not slating all teachers. There are a lot of excellent teachers out there and not all new teachers are rubbish. I know of some who find it incredibly frustrating not being allowed to pick their pupils up on basic errors. I do think it's a bit ridiculous how difficult it is for a HT to remove a poor teacher, but that is a whole other debate.

Janepig

GobbledyGook wrote: »

I should say, having worked in a school background, I'm not slating all teachers. There are a lot of excellent teachers out there and not all new teachers are rubbish. I know of some who find it incredibly frustrating not being allowed to pick their pupils up on basic errors. I do think it's a bit ridiculous how difficult it is for a HT to remove a poor teacher, but that is a whole other debate.

That's the thing with teachers though isn't it (as it is with lots of professions I guess) there are, and have always been, good and bad teachers. In fact, when I was at school I would say there were many more bad teachers than good. Luckily we had a fantastic headmaster at comp, but there were some seriously shocking teachers back then and I'm still scarred from the experience - I can barely bring myself to talk to DD/DS's teachers and I break out in a cold sweat if I have to go in further than the school gates!!

Also if I thought for a minute that teachers still behave on school trips in the way my teachers behaved on our school trips in the 80's, I would never let my children go away with the school. Luckily I think that teachers leaving their charges to amuse themselves while they go off to the pub is more or less frowned upon these days. :D

Jx

puddy

Janepig wrote: »

Legal. If I put anything slang-ish in my reports, ie, that I might want to quote something directly that the Defendant has told me, then I'd use quotation marks to make that clear, so you wouldn't be wondering whether it was me, or a statement from the Defendant. If that makes sense.

Reports are supposed to be "gatekept" by managers, but they are usually as clueless as the authors, so it makes little or no difference.

Jx

its not so much slang ive read, although there is that, its more that the statements seem to be written just like the person said the words, especially descriptions of fights or arguments. its more the historical descriptions but maybe they are literally transcriptions of what the client has said

thegirlintheattic

GobbledyGook wrote: »

In turn that also means that teachers, perhaps especially if spelling and grammar is not something that comes easy to them, can get away with being a wee bit lazy. Their spelling and grammar slips and so the cycle goes on.

It's not about being lazy. Imagine you're a child who struggles with spelling, perhaps due to a SEN, perhaps not. In every lesson your book is covered in red pen picking up every error you've made in your spelling, punctuation and grammar. That child is eventually going to become down on themselves and the work. Constant criticism isn't good for anyone, especially if the criticism actually has nothing to do with the actual point of the work. That is why many subjects in many schools only mark 'important' spellings i.e. keywords.

I teach many children who struggle with spelling, some of them very bright when not judged by their standard of English. These children would likely be put off school if they had their poor spelling highlighted all the time.

I agree that spelling is not important to many subjects, but then it is not important to many jobs either. Those for which spelling is important often use computers now, and by proof reading and using a spellchecker most people who struggle with spelling can cope perfectly well.

I completely agree with spelling not being highlighted in subjects like geography, history, RE. SPAG is only 5% of the exam marks; the most important ability is to analyse and explain the information.

claire16c

ViolaLass wrote: »

That might be the ideal but it's not a requirement. I've been training to teach maths; my degree and masters were in music. I have A-level maths, no more. It's probably true that in subjects with more competition, you won't get onto the course without a related degree but it's still not a legal requirement.

I agree with the rest of your post though.

Dont you have to have a qualification one higher than what you are teaching though?

So you couldnt teach A Level, only GCSE? Which seems like it would narrow your choices down if you can only apply to schools where they are willing to let you only teach up to yr 11?