Teacher treating children too young

Singing is an incredibly useful learning tool - it is easier to remember things if attached to a tune - my year 11 (grammar like a previous poster) has learnt Pi to 100 digits and the periodic table through song. DS yr 7 loves the longitude and latitude song

it is also a useful tool to make children listen - conditioning them so to speak that the song comes on so you need to sit on the carpet

that said I also imagine it is a school wide initiative so complaining is pointless

I read something recently that has really sat with me. That one of the key indicators of unmanageable stress in children’s lives is that they stop playing…

We live in a world where we are constantly expecting our children to behave like little adults - and speeding them through their childhoods too fast.

childhood is magic + it’s finite - if a class of eight year olds are responding effectively to a teacher singing them songs and bringing a bit of magic + breadth to their literacy time with a different approach to stories - I think that’s to be applauded.

children learn through play. a classroom in which there is space for silly, playful, creative learning is going to be one in which children feel safe giving things a go - and getting things wrong sometimes.

7-8 is still very little really. They don’t need to be grown up. They need to love school, feel safe in their classroom and be excited about learning.

(My DC are at a private prep school with a pretty stellar academic record - I am only pleased their teachers care enough to sing them songs, teach them silly poems + do funny voices when reading to them. More joy = better learning)

Several of our local Academy Trusts or head teachers have banned clapping patterns and the like, on the basis that children should learn to listen to verbal instructions. Which is great and all, but teachers end up shouting at the kids a lot and getting frustrated and burnt out because guess what? Spoken instructions are nowhere near as effective or quick as a call and response, an action to copy, or a song. I work across several schools and most teachers will all revert to them when they are pretty sure they won't get caught because they just work!

classroom management is not a parenting issue unless it us harmful to your child .

it may well an effective way that works for the class..

if that’s your biggest concern with your child’s education - you are bloody lucky

"... would of ..."???

And you are a university lecturer who criticises primary school teachers?

(Apologies to anybody who has already pointed this out - I haven't read the whole thread but using "of" for "have" is one of my pet hates - especially from teachers and lecturers... )

You will be horrified to hear that our university lecturer (clinical science masters) sang this song to us:

Our mums should have complained to the dean of course as it is so babyish to be singing to 30+ year-olds but I think they were just happy we passed our exams with flying colours.

I'd have thought that a book advent calendar would be more intellectual than a chocolate one.

As for a song to sit down - as plenty of others have said - it's a fun way of getting them sat sensibly. I work in a senior school and sometimes sing instructions at the kids. It's a bit of fun and gets their attention - they laugh, I laugh and then they do what I asked.

I totally agree.

Okay, so you think it's a bit young as a method of behaviour management. In order to formulate a complaint that makes sense, can you articulate why using behaviour management that you think is a bit young, is actually a problem?

At present, what I see is a parent who has a different preference to your child's teacher.

The thing is - you don't know every child in the room, you don't know who or how many of them have anything like neurodiversity or learning difficulties, how they respond to instructions as individuals and as a class - because none of that is your business. You don't know what strategies this teacher has tried and found to not work, and you don't know if they have a plan (and likely experience) for changing how they manage behaviour as the terms progress.

If it's effective behaviour management, I'd stay well out of it. In fact I'd stay well out of it in every single scenario, apart from if you think it's significantly stunting your child's development. I think you'll probably agree with me that whilst you might think it's a bit odd and babyish, it's not even remotely harmful. In which case, stay out of it and chalk it down to not everybody will do things the way that you would.

I am really puzzled if you are a lecturer - have you not been in this type of role for long? Have you not had students and parents complain to you/your HOD/Principal with petty or nonsense complaints that you internally roll your eyes at, and wish they'd get a grip? This is the same. Don't be that parent.

Sounds a little bit old to be sitting on the carpet, but books and singing sound great for any age. Definitely not one for the Head.

Definitely report it to OfStEd. They probably need a good laugh.

I meant 101 obvs but maybe ring 111 too. Just in case the children are traumatised and need medical attention.

It's not just your child in the class though is it. Maybe your child has lost the fun singing joyful part of childhood already but other won't have yet. Some will have SEN or behavioural challenges that a song to sit down may work really well for.

You didn't say if your child is unhappy about it? Sounds like it's you that's unhappy with it but if it is your child this is an opportunity to teach them not everything in life can be done the way they prefer.

And if you are worried school isn't teaching the level of maturity you would like you should remind yourself school isn't the only source of education for children. You as a parent can and should be teaching that stuff rather than moan school isn't

I'm a university lecturer too and I'm seriously considering doing book advent, what a great idea. So what (as a professional educator) precisely do you hate about children being excited to read a new book every day...?

Also, singing on the carpet to get them to sit down is fine. They're 8, not 18.

I’d log it with 111 too. Just in case.

My goodness you have too much time on your hands to be writing a thread on MN about this.

How about you do your job, and let the teacher do their job.

There are lots of teachers that do 'call and response' type behaviours.. and try to be 'down with the kids' .. the teaching of Smithy's curry order comes to mind (from Gavin and Stacey) .. makes me feel blurgh - not age appropriate either!

Shame that singing is - seen as such a bad thing!

Treating children like children in a society desperate to propel them prematurely into adulthood whatever the cost. Sounds like a refreshing change to me.

Are you, now? You misspelt ‘presumptuous’, seem to think ‘of’ and ‘have’ are interchangeable, and used ‘moreover’ incorrectly. On what do you lecture?

It's so crazy isn't it? I cannot tell you how much I respect and admire primary school teachers. I could not do it. It's such valuable work, setting the foundations for lifelong learning. Yet ignorant, uninformed, arrogant people pick on trivia just to appear superior and waste valuable time.
My sympathies. I doff my cap 🎓

OP I agree with this. This teacher sounds like an absolute monster. Can you imagine a teacher feeling like they want to actively engage in an age appropriate way with children in a fun way to get their attention to do something? Does anyone have the phone number for the head? Better yet, should probs go straight to Ofsted.

If this is all you have to complain about then it seems like they are a good teacher.

7 and 8 is still young! What’s wrong with a book advent? Any age group could have a book advent.

That is not what commenters are saying. They are saying your complaint is ludicrous. They are 7 (some only just 7) and 8 year olds. They are happy, and learning. This is entirely age appropriate -- especially given the big academic step up in year 3. They are still really young.

@EmpressOfTheThread I would like to think that’s unbelievable but I can totally believe it. I worked in Early Years for a while and had a parent complain that the children were in her words just ‘pissing about with sand and water’.

When you write your letter of complaint do be sure to get the grammar right.

You don't want the entire staff room in hysterics over your ignorance.

University lecturer? I think not.