TBH:To be honest, an unheard voice in education.
A PARENT WRITES:My son's teacher uses bad grammar. He has just started school and in the last few weeks has started 'correcting' the way I speak, using the teacher's bad habits. As we were leaving the house recently I told him to "hurry up and get those socks on". He said I should say "them socks" because that's what his teacher says.
I said that “those socks” was the correct way to say it. He asked me if his teacher was wrong. What could I say? I don’t want my
five year-old going into class and correcting his teacher’s grammar – I’m sure she wouldn’t appreciate that.
It happened again this week when my son asked me and his father “are yous coming to my concert at Christmas?”. When I told him that “yous” is not a real word, he said that it was and that the teacher uses it all the time when she’s talking to the class.
He’s at that stage when he thinks that the teacher is the ultimate authority on everything and I must be the one who is wrong. I’m glad he likes her and it’s good that he has respect for her. I don’t want to undermine that, but I’m a bit of a stickler for proper English and it’s driving me mad.
On top of this, she keeps misspelling my son’s surname on his copies and pictures. I’ve told him to tell her about this and he says he has, but she’s still doing it. I know this isn’t exactly a life-or-death situation but it’s a bit awkward. I’m correcting the child at home and then he’s telling me I’m wrong.
Every time I hear “them crayons” or “them children” I wince but I don’t know what to say to the boy about it because I think it would be humiliating to the teacher to have a child lecturing her in class, saying “my Mum says that you don’t speak properly”. I do correct him but he contradicts me every time. My husband thinks it’s hilarious and says I need to get over it and I suppose he’s right. I probably should just let it go and hope that he gets out of the habit again next year.
I am bothered about the name spelling though. He’s just learning to read and write and knowing how to spell his own surname is pretty basic. Right now, he’s seeing it two ways – more often her way than the right way. What to do? Should I talk to her about this or will she think I’m a nutcase? Would she be really offended?
This column is designed to give a voice to those within the education system who wish to speak out anonymously. Contributions are welcome; e-mail sflynn@irishtimes.ie
