I think she was right.
A normal approach is downwind past the end of the landing runway for a distance determined by that particular aircraft’s performance characteristics which it allows it to turn base, then final at a distance and altitude positioning the aircraft on the desired/required glide slope for final and landing, about 3 degrees.
A short approach is one inside that box pattern, again depending on aircraft performance. Many consider it to be a semicircular descending 180 from the downwind leg to the runway starting abeam the end of the runway (or the numbers, they are only a few hundred feet apart).
It is an expeditious way to get on the ground. But it has issues of its own, because you never get stabilized on in final approach. You are flying a constant banked turn to the runway. A skilled pilot should have no problem. You might land a little long because of the higher airspeed in the turn and the need to slow down for the flare and touchdown.
tthanks old bill...
Show me the AIM definition of “short approach”.
She’s unprofessional, to say the very least.