Advice needed please...

sangie595

nannytone wrote: »

i too was educated during the 60's and 70's, and grammar and spelling were drummed into us.

it was in the early 90's that the need to write correctly became unfashionable in teaching.
' what the children write is more important than writing it correctly',

I can't comment on whether other peoples schools taught the right thing or not, but I was educated around the same time as you were. And I admit I am occasionally lazy - but know it too. However my teachers expected grammar, spelling AND an ability to write creatively. And that was just the geography teachers. The English teachers had higher standards!

But I do recall having an apprentice in our office admin. An entirely enterprising and go getter young lad. Who was reading books on his kindle at breaks (which I admit, impressed me). I was one day discussing a book (a classic but I can't recall which one) he was reading, and recommended a few others for him to look at. During this conversation I was totally gobsmacked to learn that he had never read a whole book at school. They only got excerpts. How do you know a book from excerpts? I was even more impressed that after an education like that he had the gumption to realise what he had missed and do something about it. I am pleased to say that he isn't our apprentice any more - but he now has a job with us and is progressing through the ranks, as he deserves to.

Way back they used to think the idea of educating the working class was scary. I am afraid that is now true - it's scary what they are educating the working class with. The OP is a fine example.

Becles

Poppy9 wrote: »

We did spend a lot of time learning how to properly form joined up writing letters which they no longer seem to teach. We were not allowed a Biro until we had perfected joined up writing.:D:D

They do at my daughters school. Cursive is now taught from reception onwards. Once you get into Year 3, if you can demonstrate consistently neat handwriting, you are awarded a Pen Licence and are allowed to use a biro

nannytone_2

sangie595 wrote: »

I can't comment on whether other peoples schools taught the right thing or not, but I was educated around the same time as you were. And I admit I am occasionally lazy - but know it too. However my teachers expected grammar, spelling AND an ability to write creatively. And that was just the geography teachers. The English teachers had higher standards!

But I do recall having an apprentice in our office admin. An entirely enterprising and go getter young lad. Who was reading books on his kindle at breaks (which I admit, impressed me). I was one day discussing a book (a classic but I can't recall which one) he was reading, and recommended a few others for him to look at. During this conversation I was totally gobsmacked to learn that he had never read a whole book at school. They only got excerpts. How do you know a book from excerpts? I was even more impressed that after an education like that he had the gumption to realise what he had missed and do something about it. I am pleased to say that he isn't our apprentice any more - but he now has a job with us and is progressing through the ranks, as he deserves to.

Way back they used to think the idea of educating the working class was scary. I am afraid that is now true - it's scary what they are educating the working class with. The OP is a fine example.

my kids too were avid readers.
not something they gained from school though ... they learnt it at home. both myself and their father always had a book on the go

teddysmum

I seem to remember that the GCE exam papers , in the 1960s, had a warning that poor English usage would be penalised and in my sixth form years, despite having a good grade in GCE English language, I had to take an exam called Use of English, because I was studying maths and physics.

NYM

Try this for fun..:D

It dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Gigervamp

Um, people, this isn't the DT forum. This thread has gone way off topic.

NYM

Sorry...:o

tomtontom

NYM wrote: »

Try this for fun..:D

It dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

The PC brigade would give you a GCSE A grade for that

Poppy9

Becles wrote: »

They do at my daughters school. Cursive is now taught from reception onwards. Once you get into Year 3, if you can demonstrate consistently neat handwriting, you are awarded a Pen Licence and are allowed to use a biro

Do they do it with the old fashioned T? I used to have a love affair with writing word with a capital T as it was so beautiful!

Lbstyling_2

So having spoken to someone about this, I've decided to draw down 30k off my mortgage for us to live off while I complete the work. Drawing this much will keep me under the 70% LTV rate, so im happy with the level of risk this would add. I can look for some cover work in the winter, while its harder to do some tasks on the house.

As many seem concerned about my English skills, all I can say is I don't teach an academic subject, and hope to inspire all students who have dyslexia or any other mild disability that it don't matter, and they can overcome prejudice wherever it comes from, and even have a future in teaching if they try hard!
Given the anonymity of the internet, and the inner 'truths' this affords people to say, combined with the comments some have made, perhaps I'm wrong.

It seems I'm very much in the minority here, but the way I see it, I can't think of one important discovery or accomplishment made in history that I feel would be rendered 'unworthy' or of less value if the creator didn't use correct grammer when they told the world of it.
How many potential cures for deseases haven't been found because the person who would have found it was switched off education aged 11 due to low results in English or any other target.
Again, I return to the definition of 'academic'. 200 years ago spelling and grammar were different, and so they will be 200 years from now.
Read some Chomsky. The brain has filters for language that close as you age, making it vastly harder to learn new word associations in writing and reading for approx 5% of the population who coincidentally are usually also left handed, and generally innovative/creative people. These people often end us as self employed, entrepreneurs and directors.
Again, spell checkers and the internet can reduce the disadvantage on this, to the point that it doesn't matter anymore beyond (arbitrarily) ks2.
Shakespeare invented many of the words he used, that we now recognise today. God. I wouldn't want someone like that teaching my children!
If its of any value, I got a 2:1 for my degree and on many of my assignments i got the highest grades in the class. I did just fine. In spite of people identifying small faults that don't comply with there 'male brain' orientated value system.

Perhaps you right though? I struggled very very hard to get my degree, and my spelling/ grammar has improved massively, but maybe I'm kidding myself! Its not the trying that counts. Its just not for me?
I will likely pass the PGCE, as assignments are done and passed at masters level, and my teaching standards are all 'outstanding' bar a good in standard 8.