Need School/County Advise (Atlanta: teachers, classroom, complaints)

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by AnneSeelbach

I am very offended that I am being attacked for my spelling skills. I was asking for help on finding information about schools in the Atlanta area. If you do not have help for me, please do not respond to my message. I am not a very good speller but when I am in class i use a dictionary to perfect my spelling when possible (sorry i didnt use that when typing a quick message on here). I graduated from a private liberal arts college with a 3.83 GPA, I had a 4.0 in my major and minor classes (which is what i am certified to teach in), I passed all of the Michigan tests for teacher certification with flying colors, I got a 31 on my ACT and I am VERY highly qualified and prepared to teach HISTORY. If anyone would like to comment further on my abilty to teach (based on spelling errors in a question for help) then I ask you to examine yourself and ask you if you have faults.

Again if anyone has an ACTUAL reply to my question about Atlanta schools that would be very helpful, if not please reconsider responding.

Great response, Anne.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by AnneSeelbach

I would also like to add that if you know what is important about being a teacher you would want your child to be in a class with a teacher who is responsible, kind, caring, passionate about what they teach, and interested in your child... not about how they spell.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by MisterNY

I really dont see why you're getting offended, and want to display your credentials, when in fact you made the mistakes. No one attacked you, enough of the drama.

I know this thread is not about grammar, but why take offense? Take a chill pill. No one really cares what your GPA was, what you did on what test, because none of us know you. So relax already. You made a mistake, life goes on. You seem to be making it a bigger issue than it really is.

I was going to DM you some helpful links and an email address to someone that I know that works for Dekalb County Public Schools (someone I personally know who got me in with Delkalb Co), but with your attitude I think it's cautious not to. I'd rather play it safe. Good luck at the open house.

Mr. New York:

Keep in mind, she was attacked first and they were fairly harsh, "uncalled for" attacks...

[MisterNY]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Mr. New York:

Keep in mind, she was attacked first and they were fairly harsh, "uncalled for" attacks...

Aries,
I dont think I said anything harsh to her. I just pointed out that she spelled Saturday wrong. (since the thread took a grammatic turn...). I dont think I would be offended. I'm a teacher myself. I know we all make mistakes, that's human. I never got on her for that, so I dont know why she's getting all mad for.

Just like Takeahike stated, she needed to take it with a grain of salt. There's nothing to be taken seriously, she needed to chill. I'm cool though...always, cool.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by AnneSeelbach

I am very offended that I am being attacked for my spelling skills.

I don't know what web browser you use, but Firefox automatically checks the spelling of everything I type, and that setting is turned on by default.

Just something to consider (it helps to keep the spell-checking rugrats at bay).

[RainyRainyDay]

The side-discussion on spelling which has overwhelmed this thread seems to me to illustrate that we live in a time of changing standards.

In the time and place in which I attended elementary school (1960s, British Commonwealth), perfect spelling was drilled into elementary schoolers. As a person who's "of" that era in at least some ways, I reflexively share Neil's view that any teacher, whatever their subject area or teaching skills, should have close-to-perfect English spelling and grammar. I am pretty sure that I never saw a teacher make a spelling error in my entire K-12 career. It therefore surprises me that our society's expectations of teachers have changed, at least in the view of some, and to the extent that it actually seems rude to suggest that poor spelling automatically makes a person seem ill-qualified as a teacher.

However, right now it seems we're in an era of changing and contradictory standards and practices. My own "gifted" high school freshman child is - unlike me - a poor speller. This didn't seem to cost her much in middle school, where her teachers apparently focused more on the content of her writing than on the spelling. However, it's killing her in her "gifted" ninth grade Language Arts class, where the teacher docks a couple of percent per spelling mistake, in an essay. That gets an A-level paper down to a C grade in no time! However, in another of her "gifted" designated classes, the teacher makes a lot of spelling mistakes in written notes. I guess this is consistent with aries' suggestion that it's OK for a teacher to be a weak speller so long as they're not an English/Lang. Arts/etc. teacher. But what does that say to students? Good spelling is optional except for English majors? I guess some would say so.

[lastminutemom]

Anne

Check your direct messages...

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

The side-discussion on spelling which has overwhelmed this thread seems to me to illustrate that we live in a time of changing standards.

In the time and place in which I attended elementary school (1960s, British Commonwealth), perfect spelling was drilled into elementary schoolers. As a person who's "of" that era in at least some ways, I reflexively share Neil's view that any teacher, whatever their subject area or teaching skills, should have close-to-perfect English spelling and grammar. I am pretty sure that I never saw a teacher make a spelling error in my entire K-12 career. It therefore surprises me that our society's expectations of teachers have changed, at least in the view of some, and to the extent that it actually seems rude to suggest that poor spelling automatically makes a person seem ill-qualified as a teacher.

However, right now it seems we're in an era of changing and contradictory standards and practices. My own "gifted" high school freshman child is - unlike me - a poor speller. This didn't seem to cost her much in middle school, where her teachers apparently focused more on the content of her writing than on the spelling. However, it's killing her in her "gifted" ninth grade Language Arts class, where the teacher docks a couple of percent per spelling mistake, in an essay. That gets an A-level paper down to a C grade in no time! However, in another of her "gifted" designated classes, the teacher makes a lot of spelling mistakes in written notes. I guess this is consistent with aries' suggestion that it's OK for a teacher to be a weak speller so long as they're not an English/Lang. Arts/etc. teacher. But what does that say to students? Good spelling is optional except for English majors? I guess some would say so.

Actually, I was not saying that...my focus is on someone attacking others over spelling on a simple forum. If it was a formal letter, or writing/notes in class (no matter the subject), spelling is important.

I outlined English/Lang Arts/etc because if you do teach these subjects, correct spelling should be so natural that you are using it no matter what you are writing (thus revealing your ability/aptitude to teach the subject).

However, attacking someone who does not teach English/Lang Arts/etc when they are not using a spell check, etc. on a simple forum...completely unnecessary.


My argument is more about self-righteousness/stone-throwing, etc...

I personally believe that spelling is very important and I am consistently annoyed when I don't see correct spelling...(as y'all can see by perfectly spelled posts ...1987 Spelling Bee Champion at an East Cobb elementary school right here, sugars! )

[RainyRainyDay]

Thanks, aries, I get it now and am relieved you weren't really holding out for poor spelling being OK in the classroom.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

Thanks, aries, I get it now and am relieved you weren't really holding out for poor spelling being OK in the classroom.

I agree with Aries that 'stone throwing' over spelling on a message board is 'wrong'. However, I cannot dismiss the old axiom of 'Always check your work--this paper/message represents you and that's all people have to judge your abilities'...

It's still true.

Whether you teach English/Language Arts or other subjects Spelling is important and I don't think that will ever change.