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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that teachers should be a bit more bloody creative about Red Nose Day

161 replies

radiohelen · 18/03/2011 16:08

I've been past four schools today and at all of them the kids are wearing their pyjamas to school... doing something funny for money! I think not.
Plus I was talking to a friend who said she'd had to go and buy new pyjamas for the occasion because her sons are all a bit small and while that's fine for at home it's not fine to send them to school in. Extra cost for her and then she had the nightmare of persuading her boy to wear pants under pyjamas... "you don't wear pants AND pyjamas mummy".
It sounds like a nightmare...
What about a gurnathon? A giant jelly contest? Making a funny black and white film. Writing an essay in alphabetti spaghetti. This is just off the top of my admittedly weird head....

OP posts:
kat2504 · 18/03/2011 23:22

Obviously if we had forgotten we were there to teach, and, having crawled out of our sickbeds, decided to doss around all day with doing something funny for a good cause....
We would have had all number of threads complaining their kids learnt nothing at school today.
Can't win. In my school, we did work, we got them involved in charity, they were engaged in raising money and they did five lessons today. Clearly not good enough...

ilovesooty · 18/03/2011 23:26

If I did have a radio show I would have no hesitation in doing it

Nice cop out.

I've heard enough "I'm paid to teach/ensure kids pass their exams/I'm knackered/my school is bloody lucky I crawled out of my sick bed" etc etc etc.

Why am I imagining dear helen prancing around with her fingers in her ears trilling "lalala I can't hear you"? You really were cherrypicking what the teachers on this thread had to say. People like you are probably the first to complain when the teachers don't come up to scratch in terms of doing the job they're paid to do. I bet despite all your lofty comments you wouldn't last a week.

lockets · 18/03/2011 23:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Salmotrutta · 18/03/2011 23:33

I don't know whether to be appalled or amused by you radiohelen.
You do voice-overs you say? Must be pretty pressurised and stressful if all you did was make cakes/sing or whatever the hell you did.
How dare you dismiss people by saying:
"I've heard enough "I'm paid to teach/ensure kids pass their exams/I'm knackered/my school is bloody lucky I crawled out of my sick bed" etc etc etc."

I very rarely get angry at "words on a screen" but I'm bloody well angry now.Angry

Secondary pupils are just weeks away from sitting the most important exams of their school career - but obviously that's not important Hmm

backwardpossom · 18/03/2011 23:37

Quite, Salmotrutta

I spent today getting coursework sent off to the exam board. Maybe I should have ignored the deadlines and just organised some event for Comic Relief instead...

Hmm

The school still managed to raise just over £1500 with the highly unimaginative (apparently) wear red to school day and a staff v pupils football match.

For shame.

Wine
ZZMum · 18/03/2011 23:47

so having complained about the lack of creativity with teachers and having the privilege and challenge of shaping young minds like all parents do and berating everyone else, all you managed to do RadioHelen was make some lamingtons.. well pick me up whilst I collapse under the weight of your own efforts..

I would suggest next time to choose to insult the world you make sure you are more secure on your moral high ground

makemineapinot · 18/03/2011 23:47

OP - what great PR for yoru radio co tho!!!! But you know you would be crucified by the kids and couldn't handle it!! You are obviously so full of BS - if ANYONE who worked in radio came up with the 'novel' idea of being someone else for the day (yawn) most radio stations would take it up. remind me not to teach any times tables, nouns etc this week - hey lets just teach gurning kids to waste food and chuck it against a piece of paper while chanting "no it is NOT funny to see your teacher in pjs cos they did it last year, please grow up and stop acting as if you're 5 even though you are ". Oh that's £1 per child thank you very much....

PixieOnaLeaf · 18/03/2011 23:50

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ravenAK · 18/03/2011 23:51

Actually - well, yes, what lockets & salmotrutta said.

You simply have no idea what you're talking about, anymore than if I suggested that you should maybe, oooh, let's be creative here, do your VOs today with a clothespeg on your nose & a lungful of helium.

Many of my year 11s were in college interviews today. They know they need to pass GCSE English to get in. They really wouldn't thank me for rocking up in a red nose & suggesting a gurning competition.

It's not actually about teachers being knackered or ill; it's about us having no intention of short-changing our students by playing silly buggers.

The kids got taught today. The charity got a substantial donation.

You didn't feel sufficiently entertained by the schools in your vicinity? Try buying a ticket to the circus next time.

PixieOnaLeaf · 18/03/2011 23:52

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galletti · 19/03/2011 00:05

YABU RadioHelen.

clam · 19/03/2011 00:14

How do I do a biscuit?

Can't be arsed with arguing with the OP and her ridiculous view. Think Feenie and co have got it covered anyway. Thanks.

OP, you know NOTHiNG about me or my suitability for my chosen career. The fact is that I loathe "we're mad, we are" organised "fun" does not mean I am a bad teacher or jaded or whatever other accusation you levelled at me.
So I stand by the first line of my original post.

Goodnight.

corblimeymadam · 19/03/2011 07:38

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oxocube · 19/03/2011 07:48

Oh my goodness, I rarely post on AIBU threads but can't contain myself. OP, you are being so unbelievable unreasonable! Bravo Feenie. Well said

StarryEyedMama · 19/03/2011 07:51

We also have to think about the sometimes dilly health and safety rules which are most of the a PITA rather than a necessity!

Goblinchild · 19/03/2011 07:54

Thank you OP, you started my Saturday with a LOL!

What did you do for Red Nose Day that was exciting, dynamic, original, creative and cost-effective, sending the true message of Comic Relief out into the world to highten the profile of those in LEDC in need?

You and your child made cakes and sold them at the mother and toddler group?
Wow!
How on earth did you come up with such a stunningly ordinary idea? Must have taken you seconds of thought.
I can't tell you what we did for RND in my school, it was amazing and wonderful, much of it linked to the curriculum for geography, science and literacy.
But it was unique and might thus out my identity and I couldn't have that.

Original poster
radiohelen · 19/03/2011 08:04

Oh come on... yes I cherry picked in my last post because you have to a man/woman cherry picked and moaned about me daring to criticise!
pinot damned it I do damned if I don't.. well that's all right then! It was your idea.I've done lots of free gigs for charity, so what? They come along, you do them. You don't get a sticker. Big deal.
Maybe what I did for CR with my 2.5 year old lo was boring and cliched but it was age appropriate and we had fun. I stand by the fact that wearing your pyjamas to school is not that creative.
If you don't like my opinion then that's fine, it doesn't make it any less valid. If it annoys you or upsets you - go read another thread.

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 19/03/2011 08:07

Why didn't you rally the rest of the P&T group a month ago and inspire and encourage them to do something imaginative and raise awareness and funds as a group?
Why just make your cakes, bring them in and sell them for less than the cost of the ingredients whilst feeling superior that no one else had done anything?

corblimeymadam · 19/03/2011 08:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
radiohelen · 19/03/2011 08:55

Actually Goblin, we charged more than cost price. It's a pet hate of mine that people undercharge for their cakes.

I said teachers (plural) should be a bit more creative... I never assumed that individuals should "take it all on". In fact, I've said several times that it should be a group effort.

OP posts:
Hulababy · 19/03/2011 09:03

I work in an infant school. The children in the school Council decided what they wanted to do. They chose to wear red and have red noses. they also decided on a red nose day compeition to design their own red noses.

Noce and simple. No messing around for parents to have to find things at the last minute. No sponsorship forms sent hom for parents to have to go round and make up names on before donating all the money themseves anyway.

My school is a real mix of backgrounds and some families just don't have the time or moeny to nbe doig elaborate fancy dress or sponsorship all the time, and we only just had a dress up daylast week or so for world book day.

Goblinchild · 19/03/2011 09:05

So what happened to your group then radiohelen?
If you managed to sell your cakes at above cost price, they must have ben on the dull side ingredients-wise as well as conceptually.

Goblinchild · 19/03/2011 09:09

Or you go to a seriously Yaa Yaa Yummy Mummy toddler group where they will pay serious cash for nibbles.

littlebrownmouse · 19/03/2011 09:19

Surely it doesn't matter whether you sell them for below cost price or not as long as you sell them. The 'cost price' was your donation, the money people gave for them was theirs. Cost price only matters if you are claiming back the cost of them and need to make a profit so you have something to donate. It's better if they sell for 10p than either not at all, or are sold to people who feel obliged and can't really spate the cash eg. The year four children I teach.
Disclaimer- I'm not suggesting that the op kept the cost of the cakes and sent only a profit, just making a point.

Goblinchild · 19/03/2011 09:26

Ingredients £5 to make 20 buns.
Donated to fill the stomachs of the wealthy.
They pay 20p each, total raised £4.
£1 less than if the OP had donated £5 quietly to CR.
Might not sound much of a difference, but 20p is usually quoted as the price of a meal or a vaccination.
But she wouldn't have got the conspicuous smuggery with a simpla donation.
With children, you are raising their awareness, educating them as to the purpose of the fundraising and its effectiveness on the ground.
In the hope that they will go on to strive to make a difference to human rights and equality across the globe as teenagers and adults.