What if a teacher told your DC she was wrong, when really, she was right? - Page 7

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by Phantaja

But...she was wrong. If the teacher corrected her in front of the class, it had to mean that your daughter gave misinformation in front of the class. As opposed to giving your daughter a sugar coated "Almost!" and letting the other children think that if the information that your daughter gave wasn't right, it must be awfully darn close, she nipped it in the bud.

At six, no one expects her to know all of the answers. It's cool that she's wrong, because she's at school to be taught and corrected.

In your situation I'd probably go over the book once more with her and tell her that it looks like we made a mistake. Then let it go.

Eepster- Gen ed 2nd grade teachers still have to take chemistry and first year physics. Even if they graduated last year. Even if they chose not to do another semester of science after that. But a lot do anyway, and they're in the same frosh science as everyone else. No one is setting out to make second grade teachers look stupid.

Furthermore, what's wrong with second grade science being taught to second graders? A theoretical physicist with a "deeper understanding" won't have much in common with a second grader. S/he'll confuse her.

????????
You seem to be contradicting yourself all over in this post. 2nd grade teachers should know science, but shouldn't have to explain why and answer is wrong? It's not "sugar-coating" to explain why an answer is wrong (in this case for instance "energy can become matter and matter can become energy, but they aren't actually the same thing") it's teaching. I bet if another child had answered "dirt!" the teacher would've said "good that's a type of matter, anyone else?" even though matter isn't dirt. Because you know what? It's second grade!

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by mar123

I read through most of this, and as an English teacher all of the science talk went right over my head, LOL.

Suggestion: all future discussions with the teacher should be over the phone or in person. SO much can get lost in the written word. I would also discuss how your child is feeling in the class, etc.

My son had a certain 3rd grade teacher and it was an election year. One of the questions on the test was ______________ will be electing a new president this year. The teacher wanted the answer: The government. Well, she and I went round and round about that. My son KNEW that answer was wrong so he put citizens and it was marked wrong. She refused to change the grade even after a one hour conversation about the political system in this country (I am a poli sci minor, dh is a poli sci major who used to be a political columnist. Politics are often discussed in our house, LOL). She actually told me my son was learning too much at home!

However, when my 1st dd was in third grade, the test had been changed. Oh, and neither of my girls have had her as their teacher. :smile:

and it's UAVs like that teacher that mean it's only worth correcting teachers if you're sure they're good or you're willing to pull your kid out of the classroom. It's also the reason every child schooled out of the home needs to be taught that sometimes there are "school" answers for things and you say the answer they want and just think "...is the response you want to hear even though it's wrong" afterwards.

Doesn't stop in elementary school either, had a physics TA who didn't know how significant figures worked. So I wrote down the numbers how she wanted to see them (after the professor agreed with me, but wasn't in charge of the lab TAs and the department head brushed me off).

[kailotus]

I would talk to the teacher! I have to say though that your daughter seems very smart, and I think she would easily be able to understand if you talked to her about how teachers can make mistakes, and how they don't always do and say perfect things. If it really upsets you to hear that a teacher said your daughter was wrong, then you may want to consider homeschooling. I can (almost) promise you that your daughter will continually have such encounters at school and she (and you) may be more suited to a learning environment like homeschooling.

[ecoteat]

Originally Posted by MusicianDad

Ya know, know that I think about it... The teacher shouldn't be asking the children a question when the experts don't even agree on the answer. The definition of matter hasn't yet been determined fully and everyone has their own theories on it in the scientific community.

If we did things like that, I'd be out of a job. What would be left for a middle school science teacher to teach? As a science teacher, it is my responsibility to teach the kids that science theories are constantly being challenged, debated, and changed. But matter does not equal energy. And any information about how that may be debatable is for the physicists to figure out, not a second grader.

Also, I'm getting the impression (I'll admit I didn't read every post here) that people are upset about teachers letting kids know when they are wrong. Why? It's not like she's pointing her finger at the kid and laughing. Are our children's self-esteems so fragile that they can't handle being informed when they've made a mistake? Of course there are sensitive ways to say so, but "wrong" is not a dirty word.

[aran]

Thank you thank you thank you, Trillian. You saved me the trouble of posting on the science issues.

Mizelenius: Glad to hear that the teacher seems to be doing things that will help dd feel more included in the classroom.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by ecoteat

If we did things like that, I'd be out of a job. What would be left for a middle school science teacher to teach? As a science teacher, it is my responsibility to teach the kids that science theories are constantly being challenged, debated, and changed. But matter does not equal energy. And any information about how that may be debatable is for the physicists to figure out, not a second grader.

Also, I'm getting the impression (I'll admit I didn't read every post here) that people are upset about teachers letting kids know when they are wrong. Why? It's not like she's pointing her finger at the kid and laughing. Are our children's self-esteems so fragile that they can't handle being informed when they've made a mistake? Of course there are sensitive ways to say so, but "wrong" is not a dirty word.

:


As an English teacher, I'd be out a job, too, if I couldn't teach anything debatable. Literature is always up for interpretation.

[EXOLAX]

Op - I'm happy to read the teacher is being responsive to your DD. Our eldest is sensitive to authority figures and does much better with teachers she feels she has a personal relationship with. This may be just the thing your DD needs.

Now, onto light!:
Last year in 1st grade DD1's science teacher asked the class "What makes light?". Apparently DD raised her hand and answered; "Shrimp". Instead of telling her she was wrong, the teacher asked her either a "how or why" question and DD explained. The teacher listened and agreed, then explained that she was talking about a 'different kind of light' and went on with her lesson. I guess during review a week later the teacher asked the question again and a gaggle of children all replied "SHRIMP!". Hopefully it's a running joke now and not that the kids listened more intently to DD, though I imagine her story was much more interesting.

DD also got an answer wrong on one of her math reviews at the end of the year and it was sent home for her to work on. We all looked it over and came up with the same answer. DD took it back to school and was sent home with a long handwritten letter from her teacher. The note explained how teachers make mistakes too (and thanked her for pointing it out) and that even though some people may not like to have their mistakes pointed out to them it is always a good thing to go back to the teacher for clarification. The teacher felt awful, but DH and I thought it was the best thing ever. Had she handled it differently then it could have turned out really poorly for DD. So much really depends on the teacher.

FWIW we've learned to pick our battles and when we do choose to take one up for our DD we do whatever we can to help her deal with it directly with the teacher. Keeping us out of the direct loop seems to eliminate the confusion between what is an issue for the parents and the child. I think the OP was wise in letting the DD lead on this one and deal directly with the teacher. I always do follow-up though.

[junipermuse]

Originally Posted by A&A

:


As an English teacher, I'd be out a job, too, if I couldn't teach anything debatable. Literature is always up for interpretation.

Of course you should be able to teach something that is debatable, the issue is teaching something debatable as if there is only one right answer.

[MusicianDad]

Originally Posted by A&A

:


As an English teacher, I'd be out a job, too, if I couldn't teach anything debatable. Literature is always up for interpretation.

If your teaching something debatable I really hope your not using the word wrong. The key feature of that which is debatable is that there is no hard and fast right and wrong.