[Closed] Daughter told (incorrectly) that something she said in class was wrong (WWYD)?

Yeez! How ignorant is that teacher!

I would go and speak with him and suggest he improves his own knowledge before correcting a nine year old.

Talk to the teacher - say it's because of effect on child's confidence, not to score points, show evidence - just a printed A4 sheet.

Ask if he coudl let daughter do read something out in class about what she's learned at home - support her and boost her confidence.

Any decent teacher will be slightly embarassed but professional.

[anecdote]

My wife managed to give a class of 5 year olds the impression that the sun went round the earth. One parent just sent in a 'the solar system for 3 years olds' type book with a note 'Read and Learn'. Don;t be that parent!

[/anecdote]

There's clear evidence that Japan did fight (mostly) on behalf of the Allies during WW1. Maybe a note to the teacher with a suggestion that it would make a good piece for discussion during an upcoming class. Maybe you'd be happy with your daughter to carry out the research and for her to present it?

put a weblink on a piece of paper and let her hand it to him / leave it on his desk rather than have to 'confront' him.

If he's worth his salt he'll learn from it and also can make it a teaching experience - that no-one knows everything and we should be open to listening and checking data before accepting or dismissing it. And in doing so boost her confidence instead.

I'll admit, I didn't know that either. Every day's a school day.

Teacher wrote some disparaging notes in my stepdaughter's jotter about something she had got right in the first place.  Told stepdaughter she was right and teacher was wrong (hard for a small child to accept) and raised it with teacher at next PTA night both  for being wrong and  the tone of the comments.

My wife managed to give a class of 5 year olds the impression that the sun went round the earth. One parent just sent in a ‘the solar system for 3 years olds’ type book with a note ‘Read and Learn’. Don;t be that parent!

You mean....it isn't true? Nah, pull the other one - you'll be saying next that Brexit isn't totally awesumz.

If the teacher is in any way a good one they will be slightly embarrassed and at the same time glad that they can use the opportunity to emphasise that school isn't necessarily just about pupils learning from a teacher but, as they get older, it can be more about learning as a group and kicking ideas around.

Japan fought on the side of the UK, Russia etc for their own gain in the pacific.  They also did quite well out of supplying the allies after the war.

A fine opportunity to explain to your daughter that she was right and not everybody in authority is right all the time. If the opportunity arises to point out the teacher's error in a humourous way ("So, the Japanese weren't in WWI eh?") then I wouldn't be able to resist a piss-take, but I wouldn't make a point of it otherwise. Teachers are just ordinary people and given the low standard of education these days you can't expect too much of a primary school teacher.

You might also want to explain that in the Second World War the Japanese went to war motivated by oil and the Americans had imposed an oil embargo, and we all know where that sort of thing leads.

whatever you do dont do it yourself. your child needs to learn to deal with other prople and not hide behind you. its a massively important life skill.

give her what she needs to show the teacher and she can do it herself.

not everyone is expert in everything so dont get too shitty with the teacher its just one of those things.

you can’t expect too much of a primary school teacher.

Feel the BURN, primary teachers!

My lad’s (infant, so Rec, Y1&2 only) school are having some 100 years of peace bollocks today. I’m tempted* to get him to ask about 1939-1945, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf I & II, etc.

* but I know I won’t.

Very good opportunity to teach your daughter how to prepare an argument, bring evidence, and calmly and politely present it without confrontation.  AND an opportunity to show how we can and should challenge authority when we know there's an issue, and how everyone can learn.  It's quite possible to correct someone without it being a fight, this is a hugely important skill.  Start the discussion, don't create conflict.

Definitely coach her on this - and if she's afraid, go with her when she does it (but don't interject).

 it has shot her confidence.

Probably briefly, but I would've thought it'd do the opposite afterwards, knowing she was right and big, scary teacherman is wrong.

I'd fergeddaboutdit.

Since you have physical books with the evidence, I'd give her a book to show the teacher, at a quiet time, not during class. I understand she's nervous about that but she doesn't need to tell the teacher he was wrong, just point out the contradiction "Can you help me please, I'm a bit confused because you told me the Japanese weren't involved, but this book says they were (and we've got more books at home that say the same)"

you can’t expect too much of a primary school teacher.

Feel the BURN, primary teachers!

Perhaps I should have said, "you can't expect a primary school teacher's knowledge of fairly recondite aspects of militaria to match the STW blokey massive". Dedication, hard work, ability to take abuse from aggressive parents are all a given.

I’m tempted* to get him to ask about 1939-1945, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf I & II, etc.

* but I know I won’t.

https://worldbeyondwar.org/100-years-war-100-years-peace-peace-movement-1914-2014/

Or just check you are getting annoyed by the right thing.

you can’t expect too much of a primary school teacher.

Feel the BURN, primary teachers!

Yeah, you can't expect too much geeky history knowledge from primary teachers these days, especially when they have to spend so much time wiping the arses of kids whose ****less parents haven't toilet trained them yet.

It's a useful life skill to learn that (a) adults aren't always right and (b) it is sometimes just easier to let things go than trying to convince someone else that they are wrong. Much of my life has been taken up by the latter....it sucks being right when everyone else is wrong. Though it's still preferable to being wrong 🙂

Teach your daughter the STW way, bring her a book to use as a link and get her to smack talk in front of the rest of the class - followed by her slamming the book down on his table and then ad homming him.

rayban has it. Teacher needs pwned.

I’m a bit confused because you told me the Japanese weren’t involved, but this book says they were (and we’ve got more books at home that say the same)”

Please don't be this person, there's nothing worse than someone who knows they are right pretending not to be sure.

Let it be a learning point for your daughter about checking her sources & that teachers are not always right all the time but no need to make a big fuss.

Bombers ftw

Or just check you are getting annoyed by the right thing.

Appreciate your input mike, but yeah, I have. Unlike you.

"A fine opportunity to explain to your daughter that she was right and not everybody in authority is right all the time."

This 100%.

I told my son when he was a similar age that he would learn the most from the worst teachers - just not what they were trying to teach. Learning how to cope with sub-optimal situations is a valuable life skill.

You, your daughter and her teacher are all wrong. Being an ally doesn't make you a "goodie" All war is bad FFS!

The real lesson here is that Teachers like everyone else are only human and ALL humans have the propensity to be wrong. Even Stephen Fry. Get over it. Your 9yr old would have already if you'd simply told here this.

Even Stephen Fry.

League of Nations and the Allies in general, gave Japan a hard deal after WW1. Made them give back territory they'd taken for the Allies/themselves. Dan Carlin did a wikid podcast on the rise of Japan a month or so ago.

https://www.dancarlin.com/product/hardcore-history-62-supernova-in-the-east-i/

For full on bonus points find an elderly Japanese person who’s relatives fought in the war. Bring them in for the next show and tell type class. Your daughter should just sit and stare at the teacher (without blinking) throughout.

Thank you all for the thoughts - we have already bookmarked some of the key passages in her Children's Encyclopaedia of the World Wars and she has read back up on them. Given everything said here I think I'll just let her decide if she wants to say something to him. I hope she does, rather than be scared to say something next time for fear of being told she is wrong.

League of Nations and the Allies in general, gave Japan a hard deal after WW1. Made them give back territory they’d taken for the Allies/themselves. Dan Carlin did a wikid podcast on the rise of Japan a month or so ago.

Yes I saw (and watched that) at the weekend after doing some more research with her.

Like timbog160 says, however 24" may be more appropriate if wielded by a child.

These things happen.  Teachers are human and humans make mistakes.  Incidents like this do have an impact, but it's usually one we can fix as parents without going back to the teacher.  It demonstrates our kids that their teachers are not infallible, which is a valuable lesson in itself.  I only bother fighting back if it's a regular/systematic thing.

You could do what anyone sensible would do. Speak to the teacher explain why shes upset due to lack of confidence and then get on with life. Teachers are human and have to say a huge amount of things every day, some they get wrong, thats life.

Given everything said here

You do realise a lot of the replies here are from folk who have never even had a 9yr old daughter and just like to answer EVERYTHING, eh?

League of Nations and the Allies in general, gave Japan a hard deal after WW1. Made them give back territory they’d taken for the Allies/themselves. Dan Carlin did a wikid podcast on the rise of Japan a month or so ago.

Something, something something - colonialists didn't want Asian upstarts giving uppity locals any ideas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_East_Asia_Co-Prosperity_Sphere

 Policy theorists who conceived it, as well as the vast majority of the Japanese population at large, largely saw it for its pan-Asian ideals of freedom and independence from Western colonial oppression. In practice, however, it was frequently corrupted by militarists and nationalists, who saw an effective policy vehicle through which to strengthen Japan's position and advance its dominance within Asia

West in root cause of horrendous war shocker.

Your daughet will be just fine.

I accept teachers are sometimes wrong, but surely he could have worded his response better (ie, rather than tell her she was wrong, he should have said he would need to check the facts - as I mentioned in my OP).

ie, rather than tell her she was wrong, he should have said

Maybe he thought he was right and wasnt actually trying to upset your little princess!

Maybe he did word it differently it could be just how your daughter explained it to you.

Maybe he thought he was right and wasnt actually trying to upset your little princess!

But the fundamental issue is that he wasn't right. He shouldn't tell people they are wrong when he doesn't know what is right - he should tell them he doesn't know just like they would expect a child to do in class.

My nine year old daughter was in class last week and they were having a discussion about the First World War. Their teacher asked if anyone knew any interesting facts so she put her hand up (which is quite rare) and said that the Japanese were ‘Goodies’ in the First World War but changed to being a ‘Baddy’ in the Second. Her teacher told her she was wrong as the Japanese weren’t involved in that war and she got very embarrassed and it has shot her confidence.

Sounds like an inexperienced teacher to answer in such a way.

The point is that your daughter has taken initiative to answer in front of her class so that should be encouraged, and whatever the answer should be according to the teacher's interpretation the answer needs to be handled tactfully especially with topic such as war.

Sounds like an inexperienced teacher to answer in such a way.

You'd think so but he is very experienced (and is the assistant head)

Maybe he did word it differently it could be just how your daughter explained it to you.

I did consider that, but it was confirmed by her twin sister.

Get your daughter to write an essay on Fake news, using examples from her own experience and research.

Alternatively you could start a facebook group (closed one of course) and start to decry the poor standards of teaching at the school - then show your daughter how many likes it gets as way justification/gratification. At no point should you actually raise the issue directly with the school teacher in a calm, reasoned and constructive fashion. It's the way of things.

He shouldn’t tell people they are wrong when he doesn’t know what is right 

Don't ever let your daughter on this forum. Or maybe, the Internet. 😉

^ Point 🙂

I remember being taught about reading a clock face (must have been infants school or something) and the teacher was facing the class with a clock face facing the class and then was moving the big and little hands around and getting us to shout out the time.

Only thing was that the teacher had the times mirrored as they were working the hands from behind the clock. Anyway long story short the teacher spent an hour, or so brainwashing us. To the point that when the clock read quarter past we would shout quarter to, and vice versa, etc.

To confirm I can actually read the time now.

daughtet

this is now my newest word. 😀

fanx Drax x

Just a take a beer and a post-it note with this link:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z8spn39 to the next parents evening.

HAH!

on the plus side its a life lesson on the world not being fair. Cant put a price on that level of education

^ Slackboy - I like (without having to click the link I know what you are referring to 😉 )

But the fundamental issue is that he wasn’t right

I thought the issue was that he upset your daughter?

It’s a useful life skill to learn that (a) adults aren’t always right and (b) it is sometimes just easier to let things go than trying to convince someone else that they are wrong. Much of my life has been taken up by the latter….it sucks being right when everyone else is wrong. Though it’s still preferable to being wrong 🙂

I’m with thecaptain on this. When I was at school we were told incorrect things, several times each day. You could consider home schooling.

I thought the issue was that he upset your daughter?

No, not really. I am bothered she was upset (naturally as a parent) but the thing I am not happy about was him telling her she was wrong when she wasn't.

At least he didn’t point out that he asked for an interesting fact ; )

fanx Drax x

the thing I am not happy about was him telling her she was wrong when she wasn’t.

Life must be tough for you, I suspect its only going to get tougher too.

So – what would you / should I do????

Nothing really other than to explain that people in authority are frequently wrong. This is as good a time as any for your daughter to learn that.

Being pedantic..I'd argue that there were no goodies or baddies during world war one, everyone was as bad as each other..

Austria and Germany often get the blame but the ruskies mobilised first as I recall and they were on our side. Possibly not one for debate between 9 year-olds however, given many historians can't agree on it.

If i had to pick, being a modern history graduate I'd say germany/ austria/Hungary were most to blame, but then again it was the crazy Serbs that kicked it all off ..

Bombers ftw

Not sure if the Japanese had any back then...

but the thing I am not happy about was him telling her she was wrong when she wasn’t.

Can I just put my hand up and say that until I opened this thread I'd have to confess I had no idea the Japanese were involved in WW1. I can perfectly imagine that in the shit storm of bollox incorrect 'facts' you'd get back at you if you asked such a question to a load of 9 year olds that until this moment I'd probably be saying that this was not true as well. He didn't do it to spite anyone, just got it wrong. It's no biggie. Primary teachers are jack of all trades. Have you never told your wife that she is wrong about something in perfect conviction that you know what you are on about only to discover she was correct all along?  If you are over 40 there is a fair chance that a good portion of the science you were taught at school was actually not true even though the teacher at the time thought it was.

I actually had a similar incident as a kid. I had to do a presentation on the tropical rainforests in Geography. I'd found a fact that the annual rainfall in the Lake District is actually higher than that in whatever rainforest I was banging on about. The geography teacher was having none of it and said I'd got that wrong. Huge satisfaction (and I mean huge) in taking in the book I'd got it from and showing it to him. He did the right thing, apologised and then told the class I had been right all along. The fact that I remembered that moment nearly 40 years later, and remember it as a positive means that if handled right this could turn into a real positive experience for your daughter. The day she got one over the teacher. So much more fulfilling than if he had glossed over it when she said it the first time.

Wow, some of the replies on here....... explain to her that even the President of the World's largest Democracy may occasionally get stuff wrong. Adults aren't always right - especially the slightly intimidating ones. Not having to have the last word and prove that you're correct is A GOOD THING.

"Not sure if the Japanese had any back then…"

They did - digital ones - but wasted them all by deliberately crashing them into Fokker tri-planes, while shouting "Banzai"

Any primary teacher could have told you that.

If the teacher was wrong then they need to be put right, although discretely , not in front of a class full of children. They are quite happy to embarrass your child in front of others , but as my wife often tells me, two wrongs don't make a right.

Sounds like one of the condescending muppets at my sons school.

Explain to your child that she knows more than the teachers do.
It's what my parents did in a similar situation and I *didn't turn into the cockiest git devoid of any respect for their peers so what have you got to lose?

*I did.

Take a picture of teacher, print off flyers with picture and text underneath saying he is a paedophile and stick them to lamp posts near the school.

Explain to the teacher when you visit him in hospital that, sure, your flyer want factually correct but neither was he in one of his lessons?

Best to go all in from the start.

I think the best solution ,which has already been suggested, quietly hand him a piece of paper with the facts on. That and not blinking.

Screw that. Humiliate teacher. Tell them "you're my bitch now" and never let up. Lesson no.2 after adults aren't always right; you're either the bully or the bullied.

I’d argue that there were no goodies or baddies during world war one, everyone was as bad as each other..

Yeah but they started it so they are the baddies

No no, no (sorry, sound like the DUP).... the losers are almost always looked back on as the baddies. Doesn't matter who started it.

Unless it's in the playground where that last point is fundamental to School Playground Law.

He did the right thing, apologised and then told the class I had been right all along

I had a similar experience. Then he proceeded to make my life hell until I was forced to leave the school.

(I made that up, but it could have happened)

If you ask for interesting facts, they're usually interesting because it's little known, or against the common view of events. Otherwise it's just a fact.

Or a falsehood.  Or an interesting falsehood.

the losers are almost always looked back on as the baddies. Doesn’t matter who started it.

Agree, but it's not 100pc accurate to say Germany was the loser in WW1. They beat Russia and got a very generous settlement in the eye-watering Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk far harsher than the Treaty of Versaillles.

We often forget that. (Well, I do.)

The teacher should commit sepukku for he has brought great shame upon primary education and needs to restore the honour of the education system.

Life must be tough for you

I think life must be more of a challenge to you as I rarely see anything other than snidey comments on others' posts from you. Never anything particularly helpful, just what you see as chances to bag a laugh at someone else's expense.

to be fair folk taking the piss out of your "problems" is one of life's natural alerts to tell you when you need to get a grip.

I'm normally in the shrug your shoulders, life lesson learned, get on with things camp. But the OP's daughter came up with a cracking fact, one that had missed me by as well. It's a shame her teacher couldn't give her credit for it. But for most the Japanese involvement in WW1 would be a bit of a mystery.

I wouldn't make a big fuss, but if you had an email address a friendly message and a joke pointing out the error would be fine.

A good teacher on reflection might already have done a bit of research on their own by now.

@taxi - and do you know that every time we have discussed this aspect of the war I've told her just that - that one day she'd get an opportunity to tell people about it  but instead her teacher shot her down on it. But as has been said, at least she knows she is right and he is wrong. I just doubt she'll be quite so quick to share again in class.

 I just doubt she’ll be quite so quick to share again in class.

I know it's a real pity. A friends son had a similar thing, sadly the lesson he learnt was "never stick your hand up" 🙁