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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think school should not be celebrating world book week by showing Dr Who?

76 replies

bellabelly · 28/02/2012 10:01

AIBU? I had a bit of a moan to DT's teacher this morning about it and slightly got the impression she thought I was being a nutter rather over-protective. My boys (Reception class, 4 and a half years old) came home yesterday, telling me that they'd been put in groups with older kids to watch stories. So far so good, nice to mix the year groups up from time to time and I'm assuming some of the other stuff for World Book Week will involve looking at actual books, rather than watching dvds.

DT2 told me his group watched the Gruffalo's Child. DT1's group, however, watched Dr Who - not sure which episode but he said it involved sinking boat and people drowning, so am thinking probably that xmas special set aboard the Titanic - 'Voyage of teh Damned'. That's a guess though.

Teacher was v insistent that all the dvds were age appropriate and kids not shown anything too scary. But I do think it's just weird tat they think it's ok for 4-year olds and I also think that there are better ways to celebrate World Book Day than watching Dr Who? Am I being too precious? Am genuinely interested to hear opinions.

PS DT1 told me he found it "scary" and "spooky" but that he wouldn't have nightmares - and tbf, he didn't.

OP posts:
PooPooInMyToes · 28/02/2012 13:46

BoomOoYattaTaTa But watching something doesn't require much effort on the viewer's part. You are spoonfed the whole thing and not much, if any, of your own imagination is used.

But does that matter if they are only watching it for say an hour out of their whole school week? 1 hour out of about 33? And if they spend the rest of the time looking at books etc?

QuintessentialyHollow · 28/02/2012 13:53

I think at reception stage and in early years and KS1 there is so much reading, and story telling, that showing that good films / tv shows are originating in the written word is as good a learning opportunity as any. There is a link between the written word, and a performance, whether on stage or in front of the camera, and we cannot erase that, but should show it.

Personally, I rather they watch a play or panto Wink as it is more engaging, but dvd is the next best.

Original poster
bellabelly · 28/02/2012 14:05

Quint, I definitely wouldn't want them watching R&J if it was the Lurhmann version just yet! Am surprised you think it's suitable for 4-year olds?

Poopoo - I have no idea how the dvd fits into the rest of the week. As I said in the op, am hoping it's just one of many special things they are doing for World Book Week so plenty of opportunity for books and reading and storytelling for the rest of the week. And they get to dress up on Thursday.

I don't have a problem with showing DVDs or clips from them when it's appropriate, nor do I have a problem with them doing an activity that's just for fun occasionally. Smile I do think on the Monday of world book week, I'd be focussing on books, not dvds.

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 28/02/2012 14:05

According to IMDB, "The Voyage of the Damned" is a PG certificate episode.

Our school shows only U material in KS1, and U or PG to KS2. I think the choice of Doctor Who is a poor one; my DCs were happily watching it at reception age, and would be delighted to come across it in school. But not all their friends were ready for it that young, and there's no need to overface such small children.

Perhaps you could ask the teacher (in a low key way) why this episode was selected? And find out what wider educational activities they are doing based on it (that might be part of the explanation of the choice).

BoomOoYattaTaTa · 28/02/2012 14:07

No it doesn't matter as such, but when the emphasis is supposed to be on books as in World Book Day then its a shame they feel the need to sugar the pill with dvds. Why not just stick to the point?

Books are enjoyable in their own right but they do require a bit of effort and determination, more than a dvd does. Children at this age are just learning to read and are probably realising that getting the story out of a book isn't as easy as just watching it on tv.

We live in a world of instant gratification, focusing on books is an opportunity to foster the idea that taking a bit of time and putting in a little effort of your own can reap big (if not bigger) rewards in other ways. Putting on a dvd is promoting well, a different medium. Yes there is a crossover but the emphasis here was supposed to be books.

QuintessentialyHollow · 28/02/2012 14:17

Well, maybe not Romeo and Juliet, come to think of it, but any classical adaptation without sex and violence!

peeriebear · 28/02/2012 14:21

If it had sinking ship/people drowning it wouldn't have been the Christmas special because it's set on a space liner, no water, and nobody drowns. Otherwise, YANBU. It's like the kids who dress up as Ben 10 or a Power ranger for a 'book character'. Silly.

SamuelWestsMistress · 28/02/2012 14:28

I'm going to say YABU but only because I think EVERY week should be celebrated by watching Doctor Who, not just book week.

madhairday · 28/02/2012 14:33

YANBU. I would have been frothing greatly if this had been my dd at 4 as she was terrified of Dr Who until she was almost 9, and so she didn't watch it. Bad choice for reception - I'd also be one of those slamming in and reporting to head/governors - it's simply not appropriate.

And don't get me going on the book/film thing. Reminds me of the year dd came second as Pippi Longstocking (all homemade, took ages) to a girl wearing a generic Tesco Pirates of the Caribbean costume. From which literary work was that?

GrimmaTheNome · 28/02/2012 14:34

I'd say exactly what AlmaMartyr said.

World book day should be a proper celebration of the written word. Rather than a DVD, someone doing a really good reading from a totally age-appropriate book by a good author would be better. Or failing that, maybe an audio book. For reception age, the ones done by Alan Bennett would surely be perfect.

SardineQueen · 28/02/2012 14:44

Bizarre thing to have on book day. Gruffalo yes, dr who?

And too scary for a bunch of reception kids IMO. Some of them will be fine some will have nightmares.

marshmallowpies · 28/02/2012 14:50

Voyage of the Damned was a Christmas episode so not one of the really scary ones, but yes, Dr Who is a TV show, not a book....Dr Who books are a spin from the show and that's not the same at all.

EdithWeston · 28/02/2012 14:51

peeriebear is right - no water/drownings in Voyage of the Damned (the Titanic episode).

It would be worthwhile to find out exactly which episode it was. The only watery one I can think of offhand is "The Waters of Mars" (which is a possible, but not a good, fit to the description). If it was that one, then I'd be complaining as it's a 12 certificate and definitely not suitable.

GrimmaTheNome · 28/02/2012 14:54

If it had sinking ship/people drowning it wouldn't have been the Christmas special because it's set on a space liner, no water, and nobody drowns.

But not unlikely that a reception-age child would report it as people drowning.

PooPooInMyToes · 28/02/2012 15:00

SamuelWestsMistress I'm going to say YABU but only because I think EVERY week should be celebrated by watching Doctor Who, not just book week.

Grin

I agree that you need to find out which episode it is. Perhaps then you can find it on Utube or somewhere and see how scary it is.

fluffette1980 · 28/02/2012 15:01

The description certainly sounds like Voyage of the Damned. All though it is set on a space liner, it's decked out totally like the Titanic so I image 4 year olds would describe it as being a ship with people drowning.

There's certainly no other episode of New Who which fits that description and I can't imagine they'd be showing episodes of old Who.

Just for info - the episode in question is rated PG like the vast majority of Dr Who episodes.

As I imagine you can tell I am a massive Who fan, as is my 7 year old. We let him watch Dr Who from the age of 3. In fact when this episode aired originally he was 4. However that is our choice, I would be really annoyed if the school showed him anything PG without consulting us.

startail · 28/02/2012 15:03

There's a recent one with Karen G and Matt Smith with pirates.
That was on a boat with water, a little boy and beautiful siren.
It's called curse of the black spot.

cutegorilla · 28/02/2012 15:04

I wouldn't be happy, both my 8yo and my 4yo find Dr Who frightening. I know there are kids who enjoy it but that doesn't make it ok to scare the ones who don't. There are so many* non scary alternatives it's just totally unnecessary surely.

  • 8yo has watched other scary things inc all Harry Potter films but for some reason finds Dr Who too frightening. Likewise I'd expect some of the stuff she has happily watched to be inappropriate for other children. I'd expect school to go with very safe options especially for 4 year olds.
fluffette1980 · 28/02/2012 15:07

Oh so there was Startail! I'd completely forgotten about that one - and it had the lovely Hugh Bonneville in it.

WilsonFrickett · 28/02/2012 17:21

But it's not a book! World BOOK Day people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

misslinnet · 28/02/2012 18:04

YANBU. World Book Day should be about books, not DVDs.

OriginalJamie · 28/02/2012 18:14

YANBU. On both counts

TotemPole · 28/02/2012 18:36

I think 4 is too young for the school to decide that a PG is ok to show them.

OriginalJamie · 28/02/2012 18:46

Me too. IMO Dr Who is scarier than some 12A films

Greenshirt · 28/02/2012 19:14

My sons class have to dress as a jungle animal because they are doing a project on the rainforest.I was a bit [hmmm] as it isn't really literary,except for 'Jungle Book' obviously.DS was pissed off as he wanted to go as The Artful Dodger!