I remembered a few incidents in grad school when a French TA or professor didn't understand that calling someone out for shoddy work or a bad grade was something just not done.

The age is a big factor. Potential humiliation is a big part of law school pedagogy, and Bob Bob makes fun of his college students. I think a lot of the examples here elide the difference between expectations of an adolescent or adult and a kid. But a kid is different.

Seriously. Pulled a gun and just shot the girl right in her face.

Maybe Harry Whittington make a grammar error while talking on that hunting trip.

I think a lot of the examples here elide the difference between expectations of an adolescent or adult and a kid. But a kid is different.

True, that. I was speaking from my experience in teaching adults. I have no idea about pedagogy for kids.

Let me rephrase, then, because I think I'm coming across incorrectly. And also, this is total theory on my part as I am not a teacher. Yet.

Flat-out humiliating a student is wrong. Absolutely. 100% in agreement. Using something as an example to illustrate either "This is what I want." or "This is what I don't want." can be, in my opinion, an effective teaching tool. It gives concrete examples instead of abstract ones.

Now, regarding this particular instance with my sister: knowing my sister as I do as a teacher, I am 100% that how she handled it in front of the class, was not to humiliate the student. She didn't point at her, didn't name her, and didn't post the quiz on the blackboard. She said, "This particular type of answer is unacceptable. If you give this kind of answer on a quiz that has actual points, you *will* fail."

The "if money were not a factor" edition:

[link]

It's even on the right side of CIA for the school district I want to be in! So who wants to lend me a million bucks?

My current apartment has my best bathtub ever. Not a clawfoot, but a big metal tub - I can now stretch out my legs completely (while sitting upright) in a tub for the first time since I was a child.

I am so jealous. I love baths, but I don't bother with them because they are actually UNrelaxing because I spend so much time trying to get the maximum amount of my body under the water.

Is humiliating a kid to make a point to the entire class about something as bullshit as text-speak really worth it?

First, she didn't humiliate the kid, she didn't identify the kid, she used what the kid did as an example, as in "this is what not to do". If she said "I failed Katie because . . ." then I would agree with you.

Second, it's not bullshit. Our job as teachers is to teach kids how to communicate, and if they are doing so in an incorrect manner, they need to be corrected. I can say from experience that if you let the little things go, they turn into big things. And if you set the expectation that it's okay, you will have problems.

I wouldn't ever address an issue with a student publicly, unless it was completely unavoidable (a student refusing to accept "We'll talk about it later," instead getting so abusive I eventually threw him out of class, is one of a few exceptions I can remember).

But that's me - and I always had a few classroom management issues. My students enjoyed my classes and did some good exploration of literature, but weren't always as focused as they could be. There's big variation in teaching styles, and many different styles are effective. My students may remember me fondly, but I expect they also appreciate the teachers who were meaner but got them slightly higher grades.

I miss teaching!

A crazy bitch in my Catholic school used to throw erasers at people. Not even a nun! Just an evil old lady.

We had a sub in grammar school who threw erasers and chalk. She was nuts.

I don't see holding up an example of what not to do as humiliation, especially if the kid isn't named.

I do think it is essential that kids learn how to communicate in a formal, business-like manner and I'm sure that (as in teaching any subject) different kids will respond to different approaches.

First, she didn't humiliate the kid,

You do not think that what the teacher did was humiliating. I do. You believe that you're right. I believe that I'm right. Ain't gonna change.

Second, it's not bullshit.

Oh, please. A middle-schooler. In math class, by the way, not English.

if you set the expectation that it's okay, you will have problems.

I may have misunderstood, but it sounded to me like the teacher did not explicitly say before the quiz that any use of textspeak or otherwise nonformal language would lead to a zero on the entire quiz.

Sure, lay out your rules clearly. I agree with that. But if you don't do so, punishing a student for not adhering to something that was never stated IS bullshit.