to think the teacher should at least attempt to teach my DD something

[xmasmeltdown]

.... on the last day of school?
DD 14 went to school yesterday and said in many classes they were left to watch a film, and in her English class he told them just to 'do their own thing' and listen to ipods, whatever while he sat there. She said she actually wished that he would do some sort of lesson as sitting around seemed pointless.

I may be flamed for this but presumably her teacher was paid to come in to work yesterday and do his job. I accept it's the last day and maybe a more light hearted lesson such as reading Xmas story or writing about Xmas holidays, but to not even make a pretence of doing his job seems a bit much, I don't send my child to school to be babysat and sit around but to learn!

At my last school the children weren't allowed to watch films at the end of term. It was a fun day but we tried to make it as productive as possible. We baked, we sewed, we made up plays, we did talent shows etc.

You are being a bit unreasonable but I can see where you are coming from. Personally I think the children get bored when they watch films (in primary they seemed to anyway).

YANBU OP - just surveyed my year 11 DD. She worked in most lessons (exams looming), and had a Christmas quiz in English. This seems to me to be a good approach; something a bit different and light hearted, without leaving the pupils to do their own thing, which I remember from school as being completely pointless and boring!

I don't do this, as I find it harder work than actually teaching - and many classes have mocks or exams after Christmas anyway.

I did make some sparkly DNA models with year 9 but that was sort of educational....

We used to take a pack of cards in, it all got very competitive.

Most 14 year olds would piss themselves if asked to write about their 'Christmas News'.

I wouldn't have any problem with them having a day or two of fun stuff - but something interactive & actually fun, not just told to amuse themselves - they can do that in the comfort of their own homes if that's all they're going to do all day. It's a long boring day at school if they haven't gone in prepared to amuse themselves.

Though - it would be interesting to hear from all those teachers who defend the schools right to say 'No days off in term time' - irrespective of what it's for!

Yab a bit u. This used to happen at primary school when I was little, some 28 years ago. There used to be a film on a projector, decoration making, plays on the last day(s) of term

I teach right up to the last bell. Yes, I compromise a bit and work lesson planning round so that on the last day or so we are doing something "fun". This year my last class had a balloon debate (won by Rudolph) but they are doing something that involves learning presentation and argument skills and it can be assessed.

The problem with too much slacking at the end of term is it gives the pupils in some families an excuse not to come in. Why bother if they are only watching telly or playing games? My classroom is a place of fun, hard work and learning whatever the time of year. I really hate the notion that time is being wasted. However, in primary things are different and my own daughter played bingo, did drawing and had a party.

However, to some extent, your attitude to teachers is a bit U and irritating. Surely, at 14, your daughter is old enough to think about her own learning and doesn't always have to take her lead from the teacher.

Never did me any harm, yes at senior school on te last day the teacher used to plan fun activities to play, Christmas dinner followed by carol singing inte all and tat used to be it

Yanbu - it's Christmas and the kids should be allowed to have fun, but an hour of doing nothing in a classroom isn't fun. Especially if more than one teacher does this.

My school were really strict about only the last two lessons allowing movies. The kids preferred to do quizzes and Christmas 'worksheets' anyway. If they then chose to sit and relax and chat, it was fine as it was their choice.

Grrrr I pad Keys

My DD had an exam on the last day of term!

Vag, you clearly know a different set of 14 year olds to me if you think most 14 year olds would piss themselves if asked to write Xmas news.

Antlers, you sound a little passive aggressive....for all those who think it is OK to do NOTHING with your class on the last day of term, can you explain what the point is of sending your child to school at all that day if they are just going to be babysat?

I suspect if I had posted the following -
'I am an English teacher. Yesterday was the last day of term. I was tired and it was the end of term so I couldn't be bothered doing anything with my class and told them to do their own thing. Some of them sat there with their music on and some sat there clearly bored with nothing to do. I was paid to come in to work yesterday, I just couldn't be bothered actually doing my job and justified this by saying it was the holidays. AIBU?'...

I would rightly have been flamed.

Roseforme, your attitude is a bit odd, if you think it's irritating that I expect my daughter to be taught something in her classes......

Your DD had nothing to do? I find that hard to believe. My Year 9/10 groups were chatting away between themselves and to me. We talked about what plans they had, admired presents, listened to music, told jokes. The last (usually half) day is downtime. They get to socialise and I buy them treats to eat. Sorry I didn't get their books out or prepare something educational.

Many employees down tools on their last day not just those lazy goodfor nothing teachers when my DD says 'I'm bored' I reply 'Are you sure you're not just being boring?'.

Well, DS did maths, then whole school mass, then school finished at lunchtime and he had to wait for his bus at 3.20pm. Apparently it was only the children on his bus who had to wait - and to pass the time he played football. I think that's normal.

My Year 9 watched the second half of a DVD (of a book that is on the syllabus), my Year 7 did some Christmas poems, decorated them and then played a memory game and my Year 8 (last lesson of all) spent half the lesson doing presentations and voting on the best one, then (gasp! shock!) the last half hour "DJing" music videos on Youtube on the big screen (closely supervised to avoid anything inappropriate going on). The highlight was seeing a girl in a Santa hat and animal print onesie (it was non-uniform day) doing Gangnam style in the middle of the room...

colaham has summed it up perfectly- it isn't fun to sit and watch 45-60 mins of a film moving five times in one day.

I'd hate it, I wouldn't inflict it on my students.

i had one class yesterday. sixteen year olds. we did exam skills, with a christmas theme. did they learn anything? no, they could not be arsed. could they have learned? yes, the opportunities were manifold.

YABU and you are totally NBU at the same time.

On one hand chilling and watching films on the last day is traditional.

However, my DDs have to get up at 6.50 am and sit on a bus for an hour to do very little until 1 pm and then spend an hour travelling home.

It really does seem pointless, especially when they break up so near Christmas.

Oh do lighten up! Sounds like your DD is a hard-working girl who is getting the best out of her education. It's ONE DAY. The school, it could be argued, are showing the kids that it's ok to chill out and have fun?

But really, writing Christmas stories? Arf

How would she have written her Christmas news before Christmas?.

I would have imagined that most 14 yo's would have managed to have kept themselves entertained for a lesson TBH! Infact, I bet the teacher let them do it because they chat amongst themselves, text, mess about on iPods etc when they are supposed to be working!

Op

So thats one teacher out of how many?
3?
4?