Talk

Flip

AIBU?

to think this was an unfair way to allocate parts in school drama clubl

10 replies

electricslide · 23/05/2012 17:46

I'd like the views of the MN jury to help me see if I'm being a bit pfb re DDs disappointment over not getting her part in her drama club last night. I've been stewing over whether to raise it with the teacher or just mutter to myself.

DD has been in this club for the past four years, it has the option to drop in and out on a termly basis but she has stayed, doing her years in the chorus and doing one line parts. She's been happy doing this until about a year ago when kids of her age start getting considered for bigger parts. She's never been picked for a big part, she always learns her lines and sings well enough but the parts have always gone to other kids. Whenever she's been upset by this, we've told her to keep trying her hardest and showing her teacher that she's capable.

The club is doing a show this term and DD had her heart set on one of the bigger parts. She has been playing the songs all term, has learned her lines and song words over and over. The first audition was 4 weeks ago. After that class she came out saying that they were doing a further audition the next week as they were all so good it was hard to decide. Same the next week. Another week of learning lines and songs. After that week, they were told that one of the teachers was away so to keep practising and they would tell them next week. So last week- same story- too hard to choose so they would see them again this week.

So last night dd comes out saying another child had the part. Fair enough, I launch into my 'never mind' speech. But then dd tells me that the teachers couldn't decide so they got the rest of the class to vote for who they wanted.

Surely the teachers should make a decision on who gets the part. DD is now wondering why she spent so long working on her part if it was going to be popularity that decided it in the end. I am inclined to agree with her. The kids voting were Y1-Y6, dd is Y4. Most of the class is y1-3 with two or three y4-6. The girl

I'll keep telling her to try her best and so on, but it's hard to make her feel that this was fair.

So AIBU to think that after making them wait for so long and spend week after week learning parts, the teachers should then not have left it for the kids to decide who they like better?

OP posts:

Report

Frontpaw · 23/05/2012 17:53

Why can't they split the part - I am assuming they won't just put the play on once and this is what we did at school. Your por DD, she much be very disappointed.

Report

peanutbutter38 · 23/05/2012 17:56

Yanbu. That was a very unfair way to choose parts. It's the same when they choose school council, a popularity contest. Very unfair.

Report

electricslide · 23/05/2012 18:01

She'd be quite fine if the other girl had been judged by the teachers to be better than she was (she's a great singer and quite talented), but she's conscious that the other girl is probably more popular and well known in the school.

Should I raise it with the teacher in charge?

OP posts:

Report

peanutbutter38 · 23/05/2012 18:03

i'd be tempted to mention it to the teacher in charge, but not sure what they'll do now to be honest. If they scrap the idea, the kids who got the parts will be disappointed. I might be tempted to discuss it with the teacher though because it's really unfair and a totally crap way to choose parts.

Report

electricslide · 23/05/2012 18:07

I wouldn't want them to redo what they've done, just to be aware of it iykwim.

OP posts:

Report

mirry2 · 23/05/2012 18:15

I would bring it up at some point even if it's at parents evening and after the play has taken place, only because my dd was constantly overlooked andd I always told her never mind your day will come, and it never did because I didn't want to be seen as a pushy parent. however now I do feel upset that I never did raise it at any time and she may have lost out because other parents were pushy.