Wilson and other grammarians, have at it! Click inside!

[CathyCA]

Here is the letter that my kid's 7th grade language arts teacher sent home to her students today. I have copied it verbatim below.

Please feel free to correct, amend, make suggestions. Do I go to the principal with my obvious concerns? I can't believe that the person who published this grammatical mess is certified to teach English to my son and to my neighbors' kids.

To: Parents of Seventh Grade Students
From: Ms. (Well, she isn't Mrs. Tennant), Language Arts Teacher

Reading is an important part of any curriculum. It helps develop vocabulary, improve comprehension skills, and enhance writing skills. I believe that students should read at least a few minutes each day.

I also believe that student's should be given the opportunity to be introduced to many different genres. Being introduced to different types of genre of literature will enhance the student's knowledge of how different genres are written and will cause students to become well rounded readers.

Students will be asked to read a certain number of books every nine weeks, and the books read must fit into the genre category assigned by myself for each nine weeks.

The student will be graded on whether or not he/she read the assigned number of books, whether or not the books read were within their AR level, and the test average for each book read. This grade will count 15% towards the student's final grade for the nine weeks. This has already been explained to your child, and he/she should have already signed below that they understand and are aware of the criteria related to AR.

The reading schedule for this year is listed below. Once you have looked over the schedule, please sign below to let me know that you are aware of the information presented on this page. Working together we can assist your child in having a successful year.


_______________________________
Student Signature

_______________________________
Parent Signature

1st Nine Weeks (2 Books)
Realistic Fiction
Fantasy

2nd Nine Weeks (3 Books)
Science Fiction
Adventure
Mystery

3rd Nine Weeks (3 Books)
Autobiography/Biography
Historical Fiction
Animal Fiction

4th Nine Weeks (2 Books)
Nonfiction-Topic
Anything the student would like to read

[Lavabe]

Here is the letter that my kid's 7th grade language arts teacher sent home to her students today. I have copied it verbatim below.

Please feel free to correct, amend, make suggestions. Do I go to the principal with my obvious concerns? I can't believe that the person who published this grammatical mess is certified to teach English to my son and to my neighbors' kids.

To: Parents of Seventh Grade Students
From: Ms. (Well, she isn't Mrs. Tennant), Language Arts Teacher

Reading is an important part of any curriculum. It helps develop vocabulary, improve comprehension skills, and enhance writing skills. I believe that students should read at least a few minutes each day.

I also believe that student's should be given the opportunity to be introduced to many different genres. Being introduced to different types of genre of literature will enhance the student's knowledge of how different genres are written and will cause students to become well rounded readers.

Students will be asked to read a certain number of books every nine weeks, and the books read must fit into the genre category assigned by myself for each nine weeks.

The student will be graded on whether or not he/she read the assigned number of books, whether or not the books read were within their AR level, and the test average for each book read. This grade will count 15% towards the student's final grade for the nine weeks. This has already been explained to your child, and he/she should have already signed below that they understand and are aware of the criteria related to AR.

The reading schedule for this year is listed below. Once you have looked over the schedule, please sign below to let me know that you are aware of the information presented on this page. Working together we can assist your child in having a successful year.


_______________________________
Student Signature

_______________________________
Parent Signature

1st Nine Weeks (2 Books)
Realistic Fiction
Fantasy

2nd Nine Weeks (3 Books)
Science Fiction
Adventure
Mystery

3rd Nine Weeks (3 Books)
Autobiography/Biography
Historical Fiction
Animal Fiction

4th Nine Weeks (2 Books)
Nonfiction-Topic
Anything the student would like to read

My head is spinning. I'm taking a walk with Georgia the Wonderdog. Hopefully she can make sense of this.

"I believe student's?"

"A few minutes each day?"

Time for Georgia the Wonderdog to lower my blood pressure.

[Rolvix]

All I have to say is Thank God for spell check.
Who knows what this would have looked like without it? :shock:

[wilson]

My gast is flabbered.
I actually have a whole corrected version, but text formatting evidently doesn't carry over from Microsoft Word.

[Sue71]

That was painful.

[DukePA]

Oy gevalt. That is frightening. She must have graduated from the dump on the hump :lol:

[ArkieDukie]

I just loved the fact that an English teacher managed to hit one of my grammatical pet peeves (making a word plural by adding 's).

[Rolvix]

My gast is flabbered.
I actually have a whole corrected version, but text formatting evidently doesn't carry over from Microsoft Word.

I hope you find some way to transfer it. I can't wait to see it!

[colchar]

That was terrible. And I think you absolutely must go to the principal with your concerns as that teacher isn't qualified to teach grammar to anyone.

[colchar]

That was terrible. And I think you absolutely must go to the principal with your concerns as that teacher isn't qualified to teach grammar to anyone. My roommate's Dad, who is at our place right now, is a teacher and I let him read that letter. He agrees that you must bring your concerns to the principal. He isn't sure any good will come of it, but he still thinks it needs to be done.

[Rolvix]

I believe that I could have written a letter that made more sense, was easier to read, and had fewer grammar mistakes when I was in 7th grade. This is absolutely ridiculous!

I am at a loss for words.

[cl15876]

All I have to say is Thank God for spell check.
Who knows what this would have looked like without it? :shock:

Ok, don't rely on Microsoft to help (sorry DA), but I pasted this into MS WORD and all is fine... leave it to ..... "I'm thinking programmers", to communicate how we should communicate correctly.... I am by NOOOOO stretch a grammatical police man, but learned a few things along the way!!!!

[Lavabe]

I'm back from walking with Georgia, and I still can't get it out of my mind. ILJ once told me that her mom pulled her out of a class in which the English teacher asked if anyone could spell flow. F-L-O-W. "No. That's not correct." F-L-O-W? "No. The flo' you stand on."

[cl15876]

I'm back from walking with Georgia, and I still can't get it out of my mind. ILJ once told me that her mom pulled her out of a class in which the English teacher asked if anyone could spell flow. F-L-O-W. "No. That's not correct." F-L-O-W? "No. The flo' you stand on."

[CameronBornAndBred]

Let's see how many times you can cram "genre" into a two sentence paragraph.

[windsor]

That is awful.
A few years ago I managed to get a substitute fired - she was filling in for a teacher on maternity leave and sent a letter home (damn I wish I had it!) that makes that one look like a literary marvel. She was teaching 6th grade and if I recall their were 11 or 12 spelling errors in three paragraphs including using the wrong 'their' and the wrong 'to'!

Take it to the principal - the woman is teaching language arts! She should have at least a passing grasp of the language!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I'm back from walking with Georgia, and I still can't get it out of my mind. ILJ once told me that her mom pulled her out of a class in which the English teacher asked if anyone could spell flow. F-L-O-W. "No. That's not correct." F-L-O-W? "No. The flo' you stand on."

That's no ho, my sister's a ho!

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Reading it is as painful as listening to fingernails on a blackboard. The teacher is a disaster, bless her heart. She's probably in that genra of teachers who could care less.
Love, Ima

[colchar]

After my post earlier in this thread I attempted to revise my post once my roommate's Dad had read the letter. In doing so I screwed up and created another post in which I quoted myself. Could one of the mods do me a favour and clean that up for me? Thanks.

[CathyCA]

So, here's what I sent to the principal:

Dear Ms. "Principal:"

I am enclosing a copy of the letter that Ms. NotTennant sent home to parents last week. I have not discussed this matter with Ms. NotTennant, and I have hesitated to approach you with my concerns because this is an extremely sensitive personnel matter. I also hesitate to approach you with my concerns for fear of retaliation against my child, with whom I have not discussed this matter. However, I am flabbergasted that the person who published the attached grammatical mess is certified to teach English language arts to my son and to his classmates, and so I come to you confidentially to share my concerns.

I comprehend the gist of the message this letter is conveying. The problem is that the person who wrote this letter is supposed to be teaching proper English grammar and construction to my child. By way of example, I can point out a few of the many regrettable errors contained in Ms. NotTennant’s letter:

· In paragraph 2, she used the possessive “student’s” instead of the plural “students.”

· The second sentence in paragraph 2 is awkward. A better way to write this sentence would be: “Exposure to different genres of literature will enhance students’ knowledge of literature and will encourage them to become more well-rounded readers.” In the teacher’s original sentence, she used both the singular and the plural form of “student.” The teacher should choose whether she is referring to one student or to a group of students, and should stick with either the singular or the plural in a paragraph, and certainly in a sentence.

· In paragraph 3, she used the reflexive pronoun “myself” incorrectly. Additionally, the teacher wrote that sentence in passive voice.

· In paragraph 4, the teacher began the sentence by using third person singular (he/she) and then finished the sentence incorrectly by using the third person plural pronoun (they) to refer to its antecedent (he/she).

I learned many of these rules in my own seventh grade English language arts class thirty-five years ago. I do not expect that Ms. NotTennant would use White & Strunk’s Elements of Style to teach English to her seventh grade students, but I do expect that she would model the correct usage of the grammar she is supposed to be teaching when she sends letters to the parents of her students. Quite frankly, this letter is representative of your school, and it does not reflect positively on your faculty and staff.

I intend to work closely with my son at home on his English language arts homework. I will be closely monitoring the assignments and assisting him throughout the year. Please understand that I am trying to strike a very delicate balance here by providing him with instruction at home, while attempting to uphold the authority and respect that his teacher deserves, ex officio, by virtue of her position. I do not intend to undermine Ms. NotTennant, but I do intend to ensure that my child learns seventh grade English language arts, whether or not his teacher has a passing grasp of the curriculum.

Is there a way that you can help Ms. NotTennant? Can you proofread her communications before she sends them? Is there a remedial class or workshop that she can attend? Is there a mentoring program available to provide her with an experienced, knowledgeable mentoring teacher? Is there a solution to this problem?

I thank you in advance for your kind assistance, cooperation, and sensitivity in responding to my concerns.

Very truly yours,

CathyCA