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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not expect DD1 to be watching Zingzillas and Octonauts at school?

51 replies

Flubba · 10/01/2012 15:58

DD1 has just started doing full days in YR (all of four days now) - at least twice already she's said they've watched the fecking Zingzillas and Octonauts during the school day. Is this normal for YR? I'm more than happy for her to play, draw, have stories read to etc, but watching telly?? Confused

(and not least because I can't help thinking of the MNer whose kid said "do you want to see my Octohatch?" while mooning her :o :o )

OP posts:
girlywhirly · 10/01/2012 16:43

Is there any stuff in the curriculum that they will be doing linked to the programmes they saw? Could the teacher be using their enjoyment of the characters to encourage their enthusiasm for letters and numbers for example? Best way to motivate them, using things they enjoy. But DD1 won't realise that when she says they watched TV! Why not ask the class teacher what they were doing that was Zingzillas and Octonauts based, and reinforce it at home?

IndigoBell · 10/01/2012 16:50

Or was it on during wet play?

Original poster
Flubba · 10/01/2012 16:51

I don't think it was curriculum-based girly as I asked when they watched it, and she said before hometime - so waiting for the bell I reckon!

OP posts:
Hulababy · 10/01/2012 16:51

I work in Y1 and sometimes I show the odd show from Octonauts, Something Special or Alphablocks for example. I do this if it is linked to something we are doing that day and it is done IN ADDITION to the learning on the carpet and other activities. And it is not just done passively, we use it actively as part of the lesson.

It isn't every day. It isn't for long. And it isn't instead of other forms of learning activities.

So, for me, I would say that it depends on how it is used, for what reason and how often.

RitaMorgan · 10/01/2012 16:53

Check it wasn't during a wet play time.

SardineQueen · 10/01/2012 16:59

Flubba I have had this - DD has twice told me on the way home that they have watched Justin's House and other cbeebies stuff.

It's a bit odd - not what I was expecting them to be doing somehow. She said they watch it at the end of the day as well.

Original poster
Flubba · 10/01/2012 17:04

def. not wet play (no rain this week).

I agree in using things that the kids enjoy if it reinforces the learning (and I'm not that bothered about 'learning' per se at this stage), but I can't see how Octonauts could be reinforcing anything in particular (although I have to say I don't pay much attention to it if we do watch it at home as it bores the pants off me ) Just asked DD what the teachers said about it, and she said "nothing" (although she's only 4 so probably not the most reliable source).

Not sure how to bring this up with the class teacher without sounding like I'm being an arse (which I clearly am! :o)

OP posts:
Hulababy · 10/01/2012 17:08

Is Octonauts the one I am thinking of? Maths based?

Ineedacleaneriamalazyslattern · 10/01/2012 17:08

The thing is they are fairly short shows so at the end of the day not a big deal really for me. They are little it's a long day for them and it fills a gap that there wouldn't be time to do much else. I know ds1's teacher fairly well and she has done things like this when she realises they have all pretty much switched off and are tired. Ahe says there are times she would be flogging a dead horse trying to read a story or something else with them when they get to that stage and carpet time just ends up in fidgeting and poking.

SardineQueen · 10/01/2012 17:10

No octonauts is not maths based Grin

It is underwater talking animals having adventures - based.

Hulababy · 10/01/2012 17:11

Oops, sporry. It isn't Octonaughts I am thinking of. It is numberjacks I think.

GrendelsMum · 10/01/2012 17:50

There's quite a lot of marine biology in Octonauts - I don't think it's the worst programme to show to kids in the classroom, especially if you talk about the animals and fish that were covered in the programme, although I think there should be more positive female role models and not just that feeble rabbit.

PeppermintCreams · 10/01/2012 17:54

Octonauts has a subtle learning about sea creatures sub plot so I guess it would come under the "Knowledge and Understanding of the World" part of the curriculum.

Zingzillas teaches about different types of music, so comes under "creative development".

My son is in the nursery class, and they have links to the Octonauts and Zingzillas (amongst others) pages on the cbeebies website as optional extra homework, in addition to his fronter/education city stuff.

I wouldn't be happy about it, but if it's at the end of the day, to wind down, I guess it's not the end of the world? It's not like it's Peppa Pig? Grin

nailak · 10/01/2012 17:57

Did none of you watch videos and stuff at school? Words and pictures etc? Videos about wildlife, or people making music, carnivals etc, because essentially this is what those programmes are, just with familiar characters and engaging plots?

Kayzr · 10/01/2012 17:57

DS1 is in reception and has never watched cbeebies. I can't ever remember him mentioning watching any tv at school.

JetteOoo · 10/01/2012 18:00

I'm new, second only post.

I'd be inclined to say 'what the hec'.

Original poster
Flubba · 10/01/2012 18:24

We watched telly during "wet break" (Jamie and the magic torch - he was soooo cool! and we used to count down the countdown counters - hours seconds of fun!) :)

I see your point lazyslattern but it's still a bit lazy of the teacher IMO (humble though it is Wink)

OP posts:
SardineQueen · 10/01/2012 18:56

I don't remember watching telly at school.

DD seemed to think they were just watching it, at the end of the day - similar to what flubba's DD has said.

I'm not particularly fussed, I just wasn't expecting it. I'm sure they know what they're doing.

MissBetsyTrotwood · 10/01/2012 19:16

DS1 watches an episode here and there (or so he says!) It's usually on a Friday afternoon just before they get sent home. OK by me.

I remember sitting through what my teacher told us was 'the budget' in about Year 4. Yes, Nigel Lawson emerging from No.10 with the red case and waving it around. That was all. He must have been desperate. (Our teacher that is.)

MudAndGlitter · 10/01/2012 19:19

We used to watch Through The Dragons Eye at school. It was amazing.

Miette · 10/01/2012 19:24

My Recep dd watches CBeebies programmes at the end of the day every day i think. My elder dd did too when she was in Recep with the same teacher. I'm assuming it is so the teacher can have a quick tidy up. It doesn't bother me only because I feel that both girls have learned a lot in reception and i don't feel it does any harm for them to have a little bit of chillout telly time at the end of six hours of learning/socialising. If I felt that they weren't learning much i would feel differently.

Dolcegusto · 10/01/2012 19:30

My dd (yr) seems to watch a movie on a Friday afternoon.

I did raise an eyebrow when she first told me but I figure by Friday afternoon they (the kids that is!) are all so exhausted that's about all they can cope with.

DorisIsWaiting · 10/01/2012 19:32

dd is reception full days since september and the only time I know of that they've watched 'tv' in class is during the school performance (with dd1) DD2 has watch a treat film when her family group did really well at something once.

They use the white boards for it based learning but the end of the day most days I think it's story time on the mat. (Far Far Far better than tv imho as at least if they are tired they are still engaged).

BendyBob · 10/01/2012 19:34

Don't they read stories anymore to children?

Flisspaps · 10/01/2012 19:36

MudAndGlitter What about Geordie Racer?!

Look and Read programmes were quality...magic, magic E Wink