essays...

Ave Sodalis

We recently got a new english teacher and I was always top of the class before in essays. However with this teacher I have lost a lot of marks. She is taking marks of me for mistakes only she sees! For example...in my last essay she told me i had several climax but both my mother and I re-read it and could only see one and she said there were punctuation errors which weren't errors! I am getting confused. Should I talk to the teacher about it or shall I just ignore it and try harder??

Matt Holck

you should talk to the teacher
although she may be trying to steer you

Insect Overlord

sup_dude wrote: »

We recently got a new english teacher and I was always top of the class before in essays. However with this teacher I have lost a lot of marks. She is taking marks of me for mistakes only she sees! For example...in my last essay she told me i had several climax but both my mother and I re-read it and could only see one and she said there were punctuation errors which weren't errors! I am getting confused. Should I talk to the teacher about it or shall I just ignore it and try harder??

I agree with what Matt suggested. Have a word with your teacher about the way you feel and ask her for tips on how to improve your writing.
Out of curiosity, what year are you in at school?

I remember getting full marks week in, week out from my Junior Cert English teacher (well, whenever I made the effort to actually do my homework...) However, once I started into the Leaving Cert course in 5th year, my new teacher advised my parents that I might be good enough for a 'B' in the LC. He only gave me two or three 'A's in the two years he taught me, which meant I was constantly challenged to improve my writing.

Ave Sodalis

I'm in junior cert year. The thing that really losses me is the fact that I never got below an A even in primary school and my last teacher even tried to get me into a course for 16 year olds last year but they wouldnt let me in because I was too young.

I will try to talk to her again but the last time I tried she insisted she was right even though she was obviously not!

claire h

She might be marking you harder to get you to improve for the Junior Cert. Alternatively, she might be marking you according to the guidelines set out for Junior Cert examiners, when perhaps previous teachers weren't. (You can find marking schemes on www.examinations.ie)

Having always done well easily is not a guarantee that you'll always achieve the same grades so easily. That being said, it probably is worth talking to her; if she is finding the same kinds of mistakes that exam markers will take marks off for, she's doing you a favour, and if she's wrong, you deserve to know. I'd double- and triple-check anything you think is correct that she has identified as a mistake - there might be a few things she's right about, and it'll weaken your case if you talk to her about those. Maybe check out a dictionary or grammar reference book so you actually have something physical to show her on points where she's wrong?

brianthebard

Sounds like you have a problem with not getting automatic A's all the time. You could post your essay here and tell us what criticisms she gave you and people can tell you if they are fair or not. Or you can accept that you won't get good grades off every teacher and treat it as good practise for the exams.

~Rebel~

You could always ask for a second opinion from another English teacher in the school, just give them your essay and see if they agree with the corrections and criticisms your teacher made.

Also Brian's suggestion above is a good one, post it up here. Theres plenty on here happy to find errors in peoples text

Matt Holck

post

Insect Overlord

I'd be more than happy to give you pointers if you post the essay in question up here. Looks like a few others are happy to help too.

Ave Sodalis

It's really long though. Do you still want me to post it??

brianthebard

Yes if you don't mind typing it. It might have to be broken into two posts. Also include the teachers criticisms so we can tell if they are fair or not.

smcgiff

One suggestion - probably don't need to make it.

When critiquing bear in mind age of OP.

Ave Sodalis

Okay. I'll post it in a new thread though so look out for me.