Her son, Cory, attends a dual language school, where half of the day is conducted in English and the other half in Spanish.
Thriving and Enjoying Learning
Cory thoroughly enjoys this environment and is thriving academically.
Teacher’s Perspective
During a recent parent-teacher conference, Cory’s teacher expressed concerns to his mother, who suggested she consider taking Spanish classes. In her opinion, not speaking Spanish at home impeded Cory’s productivity in school.
Wrong Assumptions
The teacher seemed to assume that, as a middle-aged American woman, Cory’s mother couldn’t speak Spanish.
Fluency Verified
This assumption was not accurate. She clarified that she speaks Spanish fairly well and even spent a semester abroad in Spain.
Wrong Kind Of Spanish
To her surprise, the teacher responded by stating that it was the “wrong kind of Spanish” and offered her a business card promoting her adult education Spanish classes.
Teacher’s Intentions Under Scrutiny
This encounter left her questioning the teacher’s intentions.
Genuine Concern or Manipulation
She wondered if the teacher genuinely believed she needed instruction. Was it simply an attempt to make her feel inadequate and persuade her to pay for lessons? She turned to an online forum to ask for others’ opinions on the matter
Unethical Behavior
One user replied that it was highly unethical of the teacher and represented a conflict of interest.
Is There a ‘Correct’ Way to Speak?
A responder shared their experience as a child. They took Spanish classes focusing on Spain’s Spanish while having a Central American family at home. They explained that the Spanish language in Spain features entirely distinct conjugations, pronunciations, and even different words.
Despite these differences, they still find themselves conversing with Venezuelans, Dominicans, Mexicans, and others, often encountering words and phrases they don’t fully grasp.
They wonder if the teacher believed that her particular dialect was the sole correct way to speak Spanish.
Thanks For The Memories
One user shared their background, mentioning that they are Italian, born in Italy, and fluent in several Romance languages. They currently reside in the United States, and their accent is influenced by the various languages they speak and their time spent in the UK.
They recounted an incident where their son’s Italian teacher told them they weren’t assisting their child adequately like this Spanish teacher did. This had made them furious then, but now it makes them laugh. They thanked the original poster for the memory.
Unethical Promotion
One user pointed out that this occurrence isn’t unique to Spanish; it applies to all languages, including English. They couldn’t understand why it would be a concern in a Spanish class. When learning a language, having exposure to multiple dialects can be advantageous. They speculated that the teacher might simply try to promote her services unethically.
Respecting Linguistic Differences in Education
Another user contributed, emphasizing that American English differs from British English, Australian English, etc. They questioned when it became acceptable to demand that someone speak the same dialect as you do, especially coming from a teacher.
A Scam
One user suggested the teacher was just scamming the parents for money and suggested she bring it up with the school’s dean.
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Susan is the founder of Susan's Socials, a social media agency focused on Flipboard. She is also a content curator, encouraging a healthy lifestyle through topics such as pets, food, travel, home decor, gardening, and fashion.
