To Speak to DD's teacher about this?

[flagnogbagnog]

Hi there

I'm genuinely interested in what people think of this:

Yesterday 6yr old DD came home from school with a new pencil, which she had 'won' for being the 'lightest' in class. I was quite taken a back by this so I quizzed her a bit. She explained that every child was weighed on weighing scales (for a maths lesson). She was given a prize for being the smallest, and another poor girl was given a prize for being the 'heaviest'.

DD is the fussiest eater going, i absolutely despair over it. She needs to gain weight and I do not think she should be given a prize for being so light. The other child who got a prize for being the heaviest, is a really, really large child. I feel really quite sorry for her and wonder what she and her parents make if yesterday's lesson too.

i'm wondering if I should speak to DD's teacher now when I collect her and ask her to explain the thinking behind it? Or do you think it sounds like a good way of teaching the kids Maths? I suppose what i object to is the 'prize giving' element the most.

Absolutely yes!! YANBU. Bloody hell! What a ridiculous thing to reward!

YANBU at all.

DD would also win this 'prize'. She is short and slight and already frets about being small. It would do her no good at all.

YANBU what a bloody stupid idea, let's promote the idea that's it's great being the thinnest and hope the child doesn't go on to develop an eating disorder. Bloody hell, some people have no common sense at all.

Do you think she's trying to relay the message that it's fine to be heavy, light, thin, fat etc., that no one is better than the other. Everyone no matter what they look like is a winner. Just a thought.

Thank you for replying so quickly!

I will say something, I am quite shocked.

I did wonder that sort of thing Randy, I'm just worried it will be a lesson they remember for the wrong reasons.

DD wasnt at all upset, she was quite happy with her new pencil

I think they should steer clear of weight, height can be used just as easily if it's about ranges and averages for maths. And definitely no prizes!

Wow, I'm a primary teacher and wouldn't ever weigh kids for maths as it is so unfair to draw attention the fact that some are skinny and some are ... well ... large ( plus kids are bloody cruel) and as for rewarding that fact - well I'm gobsmacked really, it's so inappropriate. YANBU and I would definitely speak to the teacher.

YANBU! I remember being weighed for maths at school but we were not encouraged to compare our weights or told who was the lightest or heaviest, I would probably have been one of the heavier ones and would've been mortified! This is incredibly irresponsible, complain.

What a weird thing to do, definitely mention to the teacher that rewarding your fussy picky eater daughter is not a good idea! I would make a light remark though, it's not a big deal (although for the bigger girl, she will probably remember it for the rest of her life, even if noone says anything- being the 'biggest' ffs).

Yanbu I'm by this. Totally unreasonable of the teacher. There are plenty of other things in the class they could have weighed. She could then have rewarded the effort/achievement of some of them not their weights! Ffs!

Wow! I imagine the thinking was as Randy has suggested but I don't think it works. YANBU. I probably wouldn't say anything as it's done and can't be undone but I think it was a very poor decision.

My 11 year old is very underweight and would delight in getting that prize. She values thinness above most other things and would definitely see it as a light-ness 'competition' that she had 'won'. Not an idea I want validating and reinforcing in school!!

Yes I was thinking that there are loads of other ways to teach about maths without weighing the whole class. I know I would have been mortified by this as a child as I was on the heavier end of the scale and very aware of it.