A recent letter mentioned the need to "put one [English teacher] in the museum and be done with it."

The argument is that "precious tax dollars" are being wasted on English teachers because, according to her, "correct English grammar has become a relic."

As a representative of my fellow English teachers at Spectrum School, I take offence to the suggestion that I am either not doing my job or that I am inefficient and ineffective in my methods.

I am one of many who include grammar lessons in my teaching. We as a staff pride ourselves on practising and modelling correct grammar usage for our students. In fact, several of our Spectrum students have marched into local grocery stores, asked politely to speak to management, and insisted that the "10 Items or Less" signs should read "10 Items or Fewer."

I recall one of my students who asked the manager of a popular fast-food restaurant to change the "Drive Slow" sign to "Drive Slowly." These are examples of not only student learning, but also confidence, advocacy for positive change and a desire to see that "correct English grammar" be used in our community.

These examples illustrate one of the many joys of teaching - when students take what they have learned and apply it in a positive way to the world around them.

Out of curiosity, I wonder how the writer learned the difference between "its" and "it's." Could it have been a teacher, perhaps? If not, it may have been a parent who learned such rules from a teacher. Somewhere along the line a teacher was involved, I'm sure.

Christopher Parker

Spectrum School